Before Ukraine Defenders Day, which is celebrated on the Feast of the Protection of the Mother of God on 1 October, students of Ukrainian Catholic University honored the memory of fallen Heroes on the Field of Honored Burials near Lychakiv Cemetery in Lviv. More than 400 people took part in the prayer service.

With UCU’s priests, the students prayed a parastas (memorial service) for fallen defenders. The prayer was led by Fr. Nazariy Mysyakovskyi, head of UCU’s Dean’s Office for Pastoral Affairs. Each person present held in hand a lamp as a symbol of the memory of those who gave their lives for us and for Ukraine.

A parastas (memorial service) for fallen defenders

“Honoring fallen Heroes, each of us should live with the memory and foster a culture of remembrance. A common prayer, uniting all Ukrainians in a nationwide moment of silence and silent prayer, is the least that we can do. Our students also took part in the event with signs calling for a moment of reflection at 9:00,” explained the master of the Collegium, Fr. Mykola Motruk.

UCU students honor fallen soldiers

Also, every year students and staff make a prayerful procession to the Memorial of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred in Lviv, before the Day of Dignity and Freedom, which is celebrated on 21 November.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, 36 Heroes from the UCU community have perished. More information is available HERE.

UCU students honor fallen soldiers

“On the Field of Honored Burials, nine Heroes from our community are buried. These are: Artem Dymyd, Oleh Vorobyov, Oleh Kurskyi, Mykola Zabavchuk, Pavlo Shcherbyna, Yuriy Sikyrynskyi, Oles Husak, Dmytro Slyvka, and Dmytro Hanzha. During the ceremony, the students read their biographies and reminiscences about them,” said Fr. Mykola Motruk.


After the prayer service, each student left a lamp at the grave of the Defenders. Some came to honor relatives and acquaintances. Others visited Lychakiv Cemetery for the first time and paid their respects to a Hero they never knew.

UCU students honor fallen soldiers