Philadelphia's Ukrainian Community Praying For Homeland As Russia Invades
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Supporters of Ukraine are holding a rally outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art Thursday evening, singing and holding Ukrainian flags. Local Ukrainians are banding together as Russia begins its invasion.
The Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Philadelphia has been open all day for people to come and pray. Meanwhile, we spoke to a man who is now in hiding in Ukraine as the invasion begins.
"It's not going to be pretty and it's not pretty so where we are in western Ukraine is safe for my personal life," Reno Domenico said.
Domenico is originally from the Philadelphia suburbs, in South Jersey. But he's now in hiding in western Ukraine. He fled Kyiv once news broke that Russia was set to invade the country.
"Everybody was pretty calm until you wake up in the morning and you find out that you're at war and you're not going to be calm anymore," he said.
Out of fear of retaliation, Domenico would not give us his exact location. He's been involved in education in Ukraine for 30 years. With the invasion, he says he fears his work may be going down the drain.
"It leaves you with a feeling of terrible disappointment because what attracted me to Ukraine and other people to Ukraine, when you come here you see potential everywhere. Great people, nice people, highly educated," Domenico said.
As Domenico ponders his next steps nearly 5,000 miles away, back in Philadelphia, local Ukrainians are praying for their homeland.
"It's hard to believe that something like this can happen in the 21st century in the center of Europe," said Father Roman Pitula with the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
Services were held all day at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The Philadelphia area is home to thousands of people of Ukrainian descent.
Father Pitula says this is a time of fear, but also a time of hope.
"Our fear is backed up by our faith. We hope, we believe that it's going to be over sooner than later," he said.
Members of the Ukrainian community are planning a rally for Friday. It will be held at noon at City Hall.
