Local Ukrainians Gather To Pray For Home Country

DENVER (CBS4)- People living in Denver with connections to Ukraine gathered to pray for those living in that country among the unrest and deadly violent protests.

The Transformation Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic Church, where the priest and many parishioners are from Ukraine, gathered for a prayer service on Thursday to remember the escalating violence in which 100 people were killed in the Ukraine in just one day.

Prayer and song filled the church in North Denver Thursday evening. Even though Ukraine is half-way around the world the members of the church have close ties to the people living t here, including family and friends.

Many have stayed in touch through social media.

"Facebook has been a Godsend on one hand because you do get the up-to-date reports of people having to stay indoors, reports that it's too dangerous to go out yet they're so strong and they believe in what they're doing that they do want to get out in the middle of what's chaos," said church member Ulana Bihun.

Bihun said the last several days have been filled with a nervous energy as she's watched the protests and destruction on TV. She was grateful for the chance to come together and pray for a peaceful resolution.

The prayer service lasted about an hour and nearly every seat in the church was filled.