THE FUNERALS OF LVIV
Every day it seems, you could go to the Garrison Church of St. Apostles Peter and Paul and see the anguish of the Ukrainian people at the loss of their sons, daughters, husbands and wives, and mothers and fathers.
The daily funerals at the church were typically at 11am and sometimes later in the afternoon. Every day was a reminder of the impact of the war and anything but another normal day.
Lining the streets near the church were The Honorary Guard of the National Academy of Land Forces named after Hetman Petro Sagaidachny. In the freezing cold at first, then the balmy summer days, these young men stood vigil as the community buried another fallen soldier.
The priests lined up outside the churches as the funeral vans arrived, each with a soldier and a corresponding wooden cross with the soldier’s name and rank on the affixed sign. The sign would indicate birthday and the day the man met his fate in battle.
THE CHURCH
The baroque style Garrison Church of Saints Peter and Paul was built by the Jesuits around 1610. It was the first baroque style building in Lviv.
The Soviets shut it down in 1946 and remained as such until 2010 when it was transferred to the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church (UGCC).
Father Stepan Sus is the dean of the Garrison Church.
DEPARTURE
As the funeral ceremony ends inside, the family is escorted out to a family van and the friends, community and press are shuttled to the Lychakiv Cemetery. After weeks of burials in the main cemetery, newly fallen soldiers were buried in the neighboring lot known as “Field of Mars”.
From time to time there are some ceremonies that appear to bring the entire community out to pay their respects. For instance, on July 21, 2022 and the burial of another Euromaidan activist, Artemy Dymyd who was killed June 18, 2022. He died battling Russians in the south area of Kherson.
COORDINATION
Organized by Oleh Pupdiasetskyi, the Chief Specialist of Bureau City Mayor Service. The priests of the church include Bishop Stepan Sus, Taras Mikhalchuk, Andriy Sidanych, Yury Tsipka, Nestor Kizik and processional litergy sung by Vasyl.
THE CEMETERY
As the funeral ceremony ends inside, the family is escorted out to a family van and the friends, community and press are shuttled to the Lychakiv Cemetery. After weeks of burials in the main cemetery, newly fallen soldiers were buried in the neighboring lot known as “Field of Mars”.
From time to time there are some ceremonies that appear to bring the entire community out to pay their respects. For instance, on July 21, 2022 and the burial of another Euromaidan activist, Artemy Dymyd who was killed June 18, 2022. He died battling Russians in the south area of Kherson.
THE CEREMONY FOR ROMAN TARASOVICH RATUSHNY
June 18, 2022 Kyiv
Roman Tarasovich Ratushny
July 5, 1997 – died in Izium area of Kharkiv on June 9, 2022
Roman was widely loved for his years of activism including Euromaidan and effort to save Protasiv Yar, a green space in Kyiv. Raised by notable parents, Taras Ratushny, Save Old Kyiv Movement and Svitlana Povalyaeva. Roman went to College of Finance and Law and earned a law degree