Today, on 22 November, a special Holy Mass was held in the Chapel of the Apostolic Nunciature to India and Nepal.

Representatives of the Ukrainian community, the Embassy of Ukraine, members of the diplomatic corps, and our Indian friends gathered to commemorate the millions of victims of the Holodomor.

The Holodomor stands among the most devastating tragedies in Ukraine’s history — a man-made famine deliberately orchestrated by the Soviet totalitarian regime, which used hunger as a tool of repression.

During the Mass, our Deputy Head of Mission Mr. Artem Nosko delivered a message of remembrance and gratitude, expressing Ukraine’s sincere thanks to the Holy See and to Pope Leo XIV for their steadfast prayers for peace in Ukraine and for the well-being of Ukrainian children.

As part of our tradition, we distributed candles to all attendees and invited them to join the Ukrainian remembrance initiative “Light a Candle” by lighting these candles later in the evening in honour of the victims of the Holodomor.

The musical part of the service included several vocal pieces. A particularly special moment was the beautiful performance of “Ave Maria” by Cheryl, a vocalist from the Neemrana Music Foundation.

Special thanks and sincere gratitude to Rev. Msgr. Andrea Francia, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Apostolic Nunciature to India and Nepal, for presiding over today’s service, and to the Sisters for their heartfelt spiritual guidance.

We are deeply grateful for our continued collaboration with the Apostolic Nunciature in India, which has enabled us to hold this solemn commemoration year after year.

We thank everyone who joined us today for this special service.