Members of the local Ukrainian community will join with Newfoundlanders and others in a service at the Basilica Cathedral of St. John the Baptist tomorrow to mark a devastating man-made famine that killed millions.

The Holodomor is a Ukrainian word meaning ‘death by hunger’ and marks the devastation caused by Soviet policies under Joseph Stalin in the 1930s that starved-out the people of what is now Ukraine and southern Russia.

Spokesperson for the local Ukrainian community, Bruce Lilly says the world is starting to recognize what Ukrainians have known for generations.

“It began as a result of forced grain requisitions that were imposed by the Soviet government of the time under Stalin’s rule. As a result of these measures in 1932 and 33 there were roughly 4 million who perished in that event.” The Holodomor is remembered each year on the fourth Saturday of November.

This year marks the 91st anniversary of the Holodomor.

Tomorrow’s short service begins at 1:00 p.m. at the Basilica and wraps up with coffee and refreshments from 1:25 to 2:00 p.m. The public is welcome.