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      A Night of Prayer and Pilgrimage: Faithful Gather in Jenkintown to Pray for Peace in Ukraine

      On the night of July 26–27, a prayer vigil was held at St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Jenkintown with the blessing of Metropolitan Borys Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, and with the support of Pastor Fr. Vasyl Haruk and Parochial Vicar Fr. Ostap Mykytyn. The prayer event was the fruit of an initiative by Ihor Kozak, a Ukrainian soldier currently undergoing treatment in the U.S., and parishioner Volodymyr Monyak.

      The vigil began with a Moleben to the Blessed Virgin Mary at the grotto on the grounds of the Basilian Sisters’ monastery in Fox Chase. Around 400 participants joined in prayer with priests and nuns for peace in Ukraine and spiritual renewal.

      After the Moleben, the faithful walked in pilgrimage to St. Michael’s Church — a symbolic journey of faith and a pilgrimage of the heart. One of the most moving moments of the night was the rosary for peace, led by the parish children.

      Throughout the night, the church resounded with prayer — through communal liturgical services, the reading of Holy Scripture, praise and worship, meditations, and silent adoration before the Blessed Sacrament.

      “The vigil became a place of spiritual renewal, where everyone could encounter God in the depths of their hearts and experience the strength of the Church’s unity. The prayer watch concluded with the Divine Liturgy — the highest form of Christian prayer. Through Holy Communion, the faithful were strengthened and sent back into the world with a mission of peace, hope, and light,” said Deacon Ihor Demydas, a participant of the vigil.