Orthodox Forum | by Pastor Symeon | Nov. 24, 2009
On the one hand there are those who find it [the Manhattan Declaration] “shocking” and part of the culture war, etc. These are frightened that the document will be perceived as harsh and unloving, etc.. God forbid that anyone Christian ever stand in public for Truth. And on the other hand those that are relieved to see an Orthodox Pastor with backbone to stand with others and speak truth to error, truth to power, and truth to the politically correct stricture in our society that is choking free speech and seeking to criminalize Truth. – If this much sets you off, don’t bother to read further.

My Bishop, fifth generation Orthodox priest, survived the Holodomor, the systematic starvation of between 10 and 20 million people mostly Christians in Ukraine by the communist in 1932 and 33. His father was forbidden to celebrate divine liturgy – all Christian worship was forbidden. He celebrated liturgy anyway and at the end of the service the local commissar showed up and told the congregation to return at 3pm that he had a wonderful surprise for them. He asked the priest to remain behind to help him prepare it. At 3pm the people returned and the priest was hanging upside down on the church doors. They held the crowd at gunpoint and slit the priest’s throat. My bishop at age 14 watched his father bled like a pig on the church doors.



You may hear him tell his own story in a National Public Radio (All Things Considered) interview at the following address
Archbishop Alexander's Recount of the Holodomor
He escaped the communist on the way to “reeducation camp” and in the fifties made his way to America. About ten years ago, at least before 9/11 he asked me one day, “Father tell me, why are all these news people constantly painting everything that is good about America as evil and everything that is evil in society and is killing this country as good.”
I told him what I knew to be true. “It is the spirit of the anti-christ trying to snuff-out the brightest light on the planet.” He said, “These people are sitting on soft couches in a grand cathedral God has ordained, throwing bombs at the foundation walls. And still they are going to be the most shocked when the entire edifice comes tumbling in around them.”
I have for more than fifteen years, been beating the drum about Christian persecution around the world. Until 9/11 no one would listen, and then they only listened for a very short time. Now every news media is as silent as they were on 9/10, as silent as they were for two generations. The death toll is in the millions. We think it isn’t about to happen here?
If something truly drastic does not happen shortly, it surely will happen here. Stricture of “laws” keeps slowly closing on free speech and soon, very soon it will be illegal to preach the Gospel. Oh yes, it will be legal to preach “some sort of feel-good inspirational gospel of all inclusion love and antinomian heretical grace, but the second you add that salvation comes also by living Jesus’ moral teachings, you will be in violation and the second you say that Salvation is by Jesus the Person, and not through feel-good inspirational all inclusive antinomian love, you will be in violation.
We are already crossing the lines of ‘political correctness’ to speak the truth and political correctness is constantly being incorporated into law. It is an all out assault on truth in this country and Truth is a person, Jesus Christ.
- Archpriest Symeon

(It did not take a seer to see where we were headed - the trajectory has been apparent of thirty years.)

January 2006

Dear Members and Friends of the Ukrainian Genocide Famine Foundation!

I would like to give you a brief report of the activities and achievements of the Foundation during the year 2005.

2005 was a very successful year for the Ukrainian Genocide Famine Foundation – USA. In February, the Foundation received coverage in Chicago’s suburban Daily Herald Newspaper
articles “Breaking Free From the Past” and “It’s A Ukrainian Thing”. The Foundation also presented a book discussion and signing of “One Woman, Five Lives, Five Countries” with
Ukrainian genocide survivor and author Eugenia Dallas.

In March, we launched our informational website www.UkrainianGenocide.com which has attracted visitors from all over the world. The site features a history of the Ukrainian Genocide,
witness and survivor accounts, a summary of our past events, links to Ukrainian Genocide information on the web and a reading list. In addition, a guide for teaching the Ukrainian
Genocide was recently added to the site.

The Foundation delivered a presentation on the Ukrainian Genocide to a number of 5th grade classes in March. Also in March, Board Member Katya Mischenko-Mycyk testified before the
Illinois House Primary and Secondary Education Committee in support of House Bill 312 which would expand Holocaust Studies in Illinois public schools to include the Ukrainian
Genocide of 1932-1933. After sponsoring a “Support House Bill 312” postcard campaign to the Illinois House and Senate, the Bill was signed into law on August 5th by Governor Rod
Blagojevich.

In April, the Foundation distributed and funded a postcard campaign aimed at having Ukraine’s President Viktor Yushchenko establish an official "Commission of Inquiry on Soviet War
Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity in Ukraine" in conjunction with the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association.

In August, the Foundation shared a booth with the Ukrainian National Museum at the Chicago Public Schools Teacher Resource Fair at Navy Pier. We distributed over 200 Ukrainian Genocide curriculum guides and informational pamphlets to the teachers at the Fair.

On September 18th, the Foundation commemorated the 72nd anniversary of the Ukrainian Genocide by coordinating our annual Ukrainian Genocide Remembrance Day. Over 500
people and over 70 community organizations participated in the solemn procession to St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral where a candle lighting ceremony and remembrance
mass took place. The event attracted coverage in and extensive article in the Chicago Journal along with an editorial piece.

Following the mass, over 300 people partook in the Remembrance Luncheon at the Ukrainian Cultural Center with keynote speakers John Jaresko of Chicagoland and Ukrainian
genocide survivor Archbishop Alexander Bykowetz of Detroit. Illinois State Representatives Peter Fritchey and Paul Froehlich, State Senator Jacqueline Collins, and Governor Rod
Blagojevich were presented the Ukrainian Genocide Education Award during the luncheon program for their commitment and work on passing House Bill 312 and expanding Ukrainian
genocide awareness in the state of Illinois.

In November, the Foundation coordinated a nationwide Ukrainian genocide remembrance in Ukrainian churches in conjunction with the commemoration of the Ukrainian genocide in
Kyiv, Ukraine. Ukrainian churches throughout the United States were asked to ring their bells at noon in memory of the victims of the Ukrainian genocide. They were also asked to light 33
candles in symbolism of the 33,000 Ukrainians that died each day at the height of the genocide. In addition, Foundation Board Member Mykola Kotcherha participated in the official
commemoration of the Ukrainian Genocide in Kyiv during the kalyna (cranberry viburnum) planting ceremony by planting a number of kalyna trees on behalf of the Foundation.

In December, the Foundation gave a presentation on the Ukrainian genocide and distributed Curriculum Guide CDs to over 120 high school social studies teachers and department
heads during a day long program at the Ukrainian National Museum.

Your financial support allows us to continue to provide educational materials to teachers and students, present educational programs, publish educational literature, further develop our
website and expand Ukrainian genocide awareness through the workshops and fairs that we participate in.

Nicholas Mischenko
President