The lives lost in the Battle of Bucha, Ukraine, and the liberation of the town from Russian occupation will be commemorated and remembered in a ceremony at the Basilica this afternoon.

The massacre of hundreds of local residents was discovered after Ukrainian forces drove back Russian soldiers from the town on March 31st, 2022.

That date is now recognized by Ukrainians and their supporters as the Liberation of Bucha.

This afternoon’s ceremony is important, says Katarina Gavrilyuk, “It’s important for the free world to show that we still remember what was there, and it was only…two years ago,” says Gavrilyuk. Especially in light of “what we are seeing right now,” she says, “everybody says like, let’s talk to them, (Russia) they don’t want war, but they started it.”

Today’s ceremony will take place at the Basilica of St. John the Baptist in St. John’s at 2:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome.