ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – They may not be able to fight for their home country, but these Ukrainians at the Epiphany of Our lord Ukrainian Catholic Church can certainly pray for them. Some feel they need to do so much more 

“I have people asking the same question every single day. How are you doing? How are you feeling?” said parishioner Ariadna Boszko, “The only answer is terrible, horrified, hurt. My heart breaks every single day.”

But it hasn't broken her hope that Ukraine and her family still in that war-torn nation remain free. 

“We have a lot of people that we know that are fighting on the front lines and I hope to hear from them.”, Boszko said, “If they sent us one word, just tell us ok so we know you're still there.”  Father Bohdan Barytskyy has the difficult job of keeping hope alive during this dark time and he believes it is times like these when the power of prayer can be its most powerful.

“I told my parishioners to continue to pray every day and pray even privately at home,” Father Barytskyy said. That hope and prayer is what's keeping Boszko confident that she'll one day see her homeland.

“This was going to be the first time this year for me to go to Ukraine to see my mother country and unfortunately all my plans have…I want to be able to still go there, still see it and still experience it. I still want to see where my parents were from. Where my grandparents are from. where my great parents are buried with it still there. All we ask if for it to stop.”