91Èȱ¬

Nadiyka Gerbish

Sunday Worship from Ukraine is led by Nadiyka Gerbish. Nadiyka is a Ukrainian writer, podcaster, and Riggins Rights Management European rights director. She has written 19 books, many of which have become bestsellers and have won numerous awards. A number of Nadiyka’s children’s books are studied in schools in Ukraine and have been published in braille and audiobook.

The "Ukrainian cause" is not lacking international recognition any more. The allies’ support is tremendous. The modern Fellowship of the Ring is as diverse and noble as in the olden days of Tolkien’s "secondary world", yet Frodo’s path to the destruction of the imperial evil is still long, cold, and, well, mostly dark, especially due to the blackouts that became a fact of life after the deliberate attacks of the enemy on the critical infrastructure.

The spirit of Ukraine still radiates the indestructibility of hope of its people. There’s solid certainty that today’s courage in the face of hardships is impregnated with tomorrow’s victory. Still, the price we are paying as a nation is high. Every life laid for freedom is a significant loss to be remembered and mourned.

Online in a blackout

Our good cheer and Christmas merriness do not stem from the sweetness of the season, meaningful traditions, mesmerising music, and delicious food. Instead, it is rooted in the feeling of home, community, liberty, and fighting on the side of justice. Our Christmas this year is full of sadness, but defiance, too. The enemy will not change us from within and will not steal our joy.

When 91Èȱ¬ producer Philip Billson approached me with his brilliantly thoughtful and beautiful idea of producing a programme about the Ukrainian Christmas, I was taken aback with both immense gratefulness (91Èȱ¬ has been a long-established symbol of freedom in Ukraine!) and feared that I wouldn’t be capable of capturing this intricate spirit of the Ukrainian Christmas in the wartime. And, indeed, it would have been impossible if not for Philip’s kind encouragement and guidance.

My deep belief is that for the healing process to happen, the voices of martyrs must be heard, and the suffering of the victims must be acknowledged. Ivanka Dymyd, a mother of a deceased soldier, leads the prayer in this programme. Timur Kosymbeckov shares his testimony of surviving the Mariupol siege. Olenka Dzhedzora, a historian who interviews Ukrainians, recording the small stories of this devastating war, reads from the Scriptures.

As I approached the Audiostories studio in Lviv to record the programme alongside my dear colleagues, I could not help but notice the stained-glass windows of the churches covered with plywood and statues of the saints clothed in sandbags (see picture).

We had to wait until the generators outside providing electricity during the blackout would stop making their loud noises before we continued with the recording.

There is no elvish lembas in our bags, but the coffee shops and home kitchens provide us with the most magnificent coffee.

The conversations are never shallow, and the gatherings are full of warmth and genuine care for each other.

The allies are doing their great work as we are continuing our efforts: painful, invisible, with our fingers cold, with candles lit in the darkest hours, but always persistent and, as surreal as it might seem, cheerful and merry.

The victory is loading, as we say in Ukraine.

And, with all the help we are getting from our friends, we know it will be a shared victory.