Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski of the Ukrainian Eparchy of the Holy Family of London has expressed his “profound gratitude” to those who have supported Ukraine as he marked the 35th anniversary of the country’s independence. Bishop Nowakowski said that since the outbreak of the war, “the Ukrainian people have endured suffering on a scale that is difficult to comprehend”.
Reflecting on the independence of Ukraine, which occurred on August 24, 1991, Bishop Nowakowski said that there had been “once again a sense of hope that a peaceful and prosperous future was within reach”. “After centuries in which Ukrainians had so rarely been able to experience genuine freedom and self-determination, the dream of an independent Ukraine had finally become a reality,” he said, stating that it was not the creation of a new state but “the rebirth of a nation and the fulfilment of a hope carried by generations”.
