St. Volodymyr's Parish

On Sunday, 25 March 2012 at 1:00 p.m. in the Ukrainian Hall in Queanbeyan, following Divine Liturgy at St. Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, Queanbeyan Hromada and the Ukrainian Women’s Association (Oksana Meshko Branch) hosted this year’s Sviato Shevchenka.  

The President of Hromada, Vyacheslav Spesyvy, opened the Sviato and welcomed all guests. Among the distinguished guests were: Stanislav Stashevskyi (Embassy of Ukraine in Australia and New Zealand); Father Michael Solomko (St Nicholas’ Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Turner); Father Andriy Mykytyuk (Ukrainian Catholic Parish, Canberra-Queanbeyan); and Peter Lutak (Ukrainian Council of NSW Incorporated).  

The program opened with communal singing of Zapovit (My Testament). This was followed by the recitations of Rozryta Mohyla (The Ransacked Grave) by Marusya Jacyshyn from the Ukrainian Youth Association and Yak by Vy Znaly, Panychi (If You Only Knew, Young Noblemen) by Tamara Tatarow from St Nicholas’ Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Communal singing of Dumy Moyi, Dymy Moyi (My Thoughts, My Thoughts) followed the 2 recitations.  

The next performance was by Father Andriy Mykytyuk and Andrew Liszczynsky. To the accompaniment of 2 guitars, Father Andriy sang the following songs: Zatsvila v Dolyni (Blooming in the Valley) and Ne Narikayu Ya Na Boha (I’m not Blaming God).  

The keynote address, A Biography of Taras Shevchenko, was delivered by Eugenia Ilyk, President of the Ukrainian Women’s Association in Queanbeyan.  

Maria Bastek from Queanbeyan Hromada followed the keynote address with a recitation of Dymka (A Thought). The final recitation, Ivan Pidkova, came from Irene Forostenko from the Ukrainian Women’s Association. The final communal song, Reve ta Stohne Dnipro Shyrokyi (Roars and Groans the Wide Dnieper), followed Irene Forostenko’s recitation.  

Eugenia Ilyk introduced the final item on the program, Nespodivanka (Surprise). She stated that as Father Andriy had 2 days previously celebrated his birthday, it was fitting for the community to acknowledge his birthday at the Sviato. She then asked Stefanie Mychailuk and Nadia Spesyvy to present Father Andriy with a personalised birthday cake and asked Father Andriy to cut the cake. Following the presentation, all in attendance sang Father Andriy Mnohaya Lita.  

Vyacheslav Spesyvy concluded the Sviato with a word of thanks to the following: members of Hromada and the Ukrainian Women’s Association for the preparation of the program, distribution of flyers and the preparation and decoration of the Hall; the performers for their contributions to the program; the audience for their attendance; and the ladies of the community for their donation of refreshments. Finally, he asked that Mnohaya Lita be sung to the following who had also recently celebrated their birthdays: Andriy-Lev Mykytyuk; Olga Domitrjak; Anna Domitrjak and Alexandra Pukalskyj.  

The Sviato concluded with the singing of the Ukrainian National Anthem, Sche ne Vmerla Ukraina.  

The attendees at the Sviato then helped themselves to the donated refreshments as well as Father Andriy’s birthday cake.

to see photos please click here