The members of the bazaar committee chaired by Iwanna (Jean) Holowaty of Venice worked very hard, some without a break for 10 hours, to prepare and serve food, to serve at various stations selling pastries, gifts and other useful items, and, of course, do the hard work of cleaning up.
Some of the visitors came from faraway places to meet friends and to enjoy the delicacies such as potato pancakes (the most popular item, according to kitchen staff), “varenyky” (pierogies) with potato and cheese or with sauerkraut, “holubtsi” (cabbage rolls with rice and hamburger meat), sausage with sauerkraut, “borsch” (beet soup), and an array of pastries too numerous to list.
The Most Rev. Bohdan J. Danylo, ordinary of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy (Diocese) of St. Josaphat in Parma, Ohio, interrupted his scheduled meeting with area priests twice to visit the bazaar to meet the volunteers and visitors and to partake in the array of food.
I was pleased to see John Dicky, an old friend from Buffalo, who was visiting his niece in Punta Gorda and decided to stop at the bazaar.
The pastor of St. Mary’s, the Rev. Vasyl Petriv, and his wife Luba were not only spiritual but actual supporters, working alongside volunteers in and outside the kitchen during the preparation for the bazaar and on Friday during the event.
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Parishioners and visitors of St. Mary’s had a unique experience last Sunday, to be present and to enjoy the beautiful Byzantine-style Ukrainian Catholic Pontifical Divine Liturgy (Mass) celebrated by Bishop Bohdan with several visiting priests, including the Rev. Vasyl Petriv, pastor, and the Rt. Rev. Mitred Archpriest Wolodymyr Woloszczuk, pastor-emeritus. The parish choir under the direction of Lubow Ingram sang the responses beautifully.
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St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center, known as the “Oseredok” (center) in Ukrainian, celebrated its 40th anniversary with a festive dinner and a special program Sunday. The celebration also included the observance of the Feast Day of St. Andrew, the “first called apostle” who, according to unwritten tradition, visited the area where Kyiv, capital of Ukraine, now is, and proclaimed that “here on these hills will be an important city with many churches.” St. Andrew is revered by Ukrainian Greek-Catholics and Orthodox in Ukraine and all over the world.
North Port’s first ecumenical Ukrainian church, now used exclusively by the Ukrainian Orthodox congregation, was dedicated to St. Andrew.
Last Sunday’s celebration included greetings of visitors, living past presidents, other distinguished members of the community, and remarks by current president Victor Lisnyczyj and cultural affairs vice president, professor Vira Bodnaruk. The United Choir directed by Lubow Ingram sang the prayer-hymn “O, One and Only God!” and two traditional patriotic songs to the delight of the audience.
A delicious sit-down dinner prepared and served by members of the Oseredok’s board members and volunteers was enjoyed by all.
A nice commemorative book was published with many historic photographs and articles in English and Ukrainian describing the history of the Southwest Florida Ukrainian American community, and including greetings from state Senator Nancy Detert and North Port City Manager Jonathan Lewis.
Atanas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun.
He can be emailed at atanask@aol.com.
Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians
by Atanas Kobryn
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