Slava Ukraini! “Glory to Ukraine”
In weekly ritual of solidarity, Disciples of Christ gather Chautauquans to sing Ukrainian anthem
BY BRETT PHELPS
WriTten for the audience of The Chautauquan Daily at the Chautauqua Institutions
Friday, August 18, 2023
It’s been one year, five months, three weeks, and five days since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Last year, when longtime Chautauquan Thaddeus Popovich, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, heard The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) denominational house was installing a Ukrainian flag from its balcony, he seized the opportunity to become involved.
He suggested taking the simple gesture of displaying the flag and turning it into a weekly ritual of solidarity.
“The war in Ukraine makes me feel awful about what’s happening there,” he said. “I feel helpless and hopeless at times. … I want to feel hopeful.”
Popovich, who is of Serbian descent but part of the Ukrainian community in Pittsburgh, suggested the Disciples of Christ add yet another way to honor Ukrainians during this time of war.
At his home church, St. Brendan’s Episcopal Church in Franklin Park, the congregation sings the Ukrainian National Anthem in both English and Ukrainian each week. Popovich proposed carrying over the tradition to the Chautauqua community.
Last year, when longtime Chautauquan Thaddeus Popovich, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, heard The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) denominational house was installing a Ukrainian flag from its balcony, he seized the opportunity to become involved.
He suggested taking the simple gesture of displaying the flag and turning it into a weekly ritual of solidarity.
“The war in Ukraine makes me feel awful about what’s happening there,” he said. “I feel helpless and hopeless at times. … I want to feel hopeful.”
Popovich, who is of Serbian descent but part of the Ukrainian community in Pittsburgh, suggested the Disciples of Christ add yet another way to honor Ukrainians during this time of war.
At his home church, St. Brendan’s Episcopal Church in Franklin Park, the congregation sings the Ukrainian National Anthem in both English and Ukrainian each week. Popovich proposed carrying over the tradition to the Chautauqua community.
Anna Wilson, a Chautauquan visiting from Kentucky, joins other community members in singing the Ukrainian National Anthem on July 21 outside of the Disciples of Christ denominational house on the Clark Brick Walk as a way to demonstrate support for Ukraine while the war continues.
Because the Disciples of Christ already host weekly picnics, it was an easy integration, Popovich said, since he had the music MP3 files and sheet music onhand.
“It is a very heartfelt experience to honor a country who is suffering immensely by singing its national anthem in its own language. And we experience that. We experience that time and again when we sing it every Friday.”
Popovich taught in Kosovo in former Yugoslavia after the Kosovo War, which took place from February 1998 to June 1999. After seeing and hearing from students how their lives and families were torn apart by the war, he understood what Ukrainians were facing.
“I heard about it and saw it firsthand,” he said. “Thus, I have empathy for what’s going on in Ukraine right now.”
Popovich encouraged others to take a few minutes out of their afternoon “to show solidarity with our Ukrainian brothers and sisters” and join in at 7 p.m. tonight under the Ukrainian flag at the Disciples of Christ Headquarters House at 32 Clark.
“If you don’t think you can sing, just be with us. Presence is everything,” he said. “It’s a beautiful sight and sound to behold.”
“It is a very heartfelt experience to honor a country who is suffering immensely by singing its national anthem in its own language. And we experience that. We experience that time and again when we sing it every Friday.”
Popovich taught in Kosovo in former Yugoslavia after the Kosovo War, which took place from February 1998 to June 1999. After seeing and hearing from students how their lives and families were torn apart by the war, he understood what Ukrainians were facing.
“I heard about it and saw it firsthand,” he said. “Thus, I have empathy for what’s going on in Ukraine right now.”
Popovich encouraged others to take a few minutes out of their afternoon “to show solidarity with our Ukrainian brothers and sisters” and join in at 7 p.m. tonight under the Ukrainian flag at the Disciples of Christ Headquarters House at 32 Clark.
“If you don’t think you can sing, just be with us. Presence is everything,” he said. “It’s a beautiful sight and sound to behold.”
Chautauquans gather to sing the Ukrainian National Anthem, in both English and Ukrainian, on July 21 outside of the Disciples of Christ denominational house on the Clark Brick Walk, as a way to demonstrate support for Ukraine while the war continues.