 By Steve Richards Next Saturday, the 14th, there will be a screening of Back to Bucha at a location that holds unexpected significance for me—St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Dedham, Massachusetts. This event also marks a send-off for my fourth journey to Ukraine, just two days later, as part of the Beyond Bucha Production Tour. The tour will take me from Warsaw to Kyiv, Bucha, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Kherson, Odesa, and Vinnytsia, with my return scheduled for late October. In preparation for the event, Rev. Melanie McCarley, rector of St. Paul's, invited me to deliver a lay sermon to the congregation this morning. Considering the church's strong support for Ukraine, I found it fitting to draw a parallel between the Anglican experience during the American Revolution—when this very church played a significant role—and the role of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine's current fight for independence. My message went something like this: Dedham and my Loyalist roots My path to standing before you today has been a long one. I moved to Wellesley in the late 1980s, earned my MBA from Babson in 1990, and built a software company in Weston during the ’90s. Dedham was just a name I saw on a Route 128 road sign—until September 2020, when my daughter and I made a trip to Bob’s Discount Furniture to help furnish her new apartment, part of the usual Labor Day shuffle as students moved in and out of new/old apartments all over Boston. That trip reminded me of a story my Aunt Mary Lou had once shared about a graveyard in Dedham where many of our ancestors were buried. So, I called her on the way, and she directed me to the cemetery and the names to search for. She told me to look for our ancestors, Ebenezer (1719–1799) and Thankful (1720–1796) Richards. After some searching, we found their graves, along with many other Richards family members. Nearby, we even found “Richards Street.” Suddenly, Dedham felt like home. I then realized that the church beside the cemetery was Episcopalian—my adopted denomination—making the connection even deeper. (By the way, as a child I was raised in the Nazarene Church, a particularly fundamentalist branch of Evangelicalism, though it’s been quite some time since I’ve been back.) It turns out that my great, great, great, (twenty or so greats) Grandfather Edward Richards, arrived in New Bedford in 1631 and settled in Dedham by 1632. I recently discovered that William Clark, the rector of St. Paul’s during the American Revolution, had married my distant cousin, Mary Richards—so, in a way, I’m related to this church by marriage. I can only imagine what her life must have been like: married to a Church of England priest, surrounded by Sons of Liberty in Congregationalist New England during the height of the Revolution. And to add to the challenge, William Clark was deaf! It was quite a surprise to learn that I have Loyalist roots. But then again it says on Ebenezer’s gravestone that he: Performed the office of Deacon in the first Church of Dedham for 27 years. The First Church of Dedham was Congregationalist at the time. Clark’s detailed journals have made him a key figure for historians studying this era. These journals, preserved at the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston, provide rich insights into the time. In 1770, the same year he married Mary, Clark expressed disdain for the republican ideals of Dedham’s Congregationalists, viewing their ideas of liberty as dangerous. He even requested a transfer to Maine or Nova Scotia, but the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel —a branch of the Church of England that sponsored missionary work in the colonies—denied his request. Interestingly, St. Paul’s functioned as a kind of mission, and the Society paid £20 of his £50 annual salary. My own Anglican journey began in 2011 when I visited All Souls Episcopal Church in Miami Beach. It was the closest Protestant church to my new home, just a few blocks from the Fontainebleau Hotel. Before long, I found myself as a guest at the Berkeley Divinity School, the Episcopal seminary at Yale, from 2013 to 2016. I still hope to graduate someday. William Clark’s conversion to Anglicanism came after he served as an interim preacher at various Congregational churches around Boston. After announcing his decision to join the Church of England, he traveled to England for ordination, then returned to minister to congregations in Dedham and Stoughton, Massachusetts. His loyalty to the crown placed him in direct conflict with the revolutionary fervor in New England, ultimately leading to his arrest and exile. Clark’s story of religious division, loyalty, and revolution reflects the nuanced realities of the ongoing schism within the Orthodox Church in Ukraine today. Possible Lessons for Ukraine from Revolutionary America’s Experience Christianity in Ukraine traces back to 988 AD, when Prince Volodymyr the Great (Volodymyr Sviatoslavych) baptized the entire Kievan Rus' kingdom into the Eastern Church, which was centered in Constantinople. In 1054, the Great Schism split the Christian world, dividing it into the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. For centuries, Orthodoxy was the dominant faith in Ukraine, coexisting alongside smaller communities of Greek Catholics, Jews, Protestants, and others. For much of Ukraine’s history, the Orthodox Church was governed by Moscow. However, the war has upended this structure. Today, Moscow finds itself estranged from much of the Orthodox world, and the Ukrainian church has been recognized by Constantinople as an independent entity. Still, convincing Orthodox Ukrainians to fully embrace this new church isn’t automatic—many remain faithful to the Moscow Patriarchate. Which is not to say they are unpatriotic Ukrainians. It's a complex situation, much like it must have been for Anglicans in 1776. This mirrors the schism between the Church of England and the emerging American Episcopal Church following the American Revolution. At the time, Anglican priests were required to swear allegiance to the English crown. It wasn’t until 1789 that the Episcopal Church in America formally separated and became its own independent entity, joining the worldwide Anglican Communion—a relationship that continues to this day. The way American Congregationalists treated the Church of England during the Revolution bears striking similarities to the schism within the Ukrainian Orthodox Church today. However, despite the turmoil in Ukraine, the violence against priests and churches is relatively mild compared to what Anglican clergy and their congregations endured during the American Revolution. For instance, an ankle bracelet on a priest in comfortable quarters in Ukraine hardly compares to the brutal conditions of the 18th century. In New England, Anglican churches were destroyed or repurposed as storehouses, and priests fled from angry mobs. Half of them left the country, many never to return. These clergy saw themselves as martyrs, much like Moscow-oriented priests in Ukraine likely do today. Take William Clark, for example. In April 1776, the Commonwealth’s General Court ordered his arrest as a Tory, though he wasn’t captured at the time. By March 1777, he chose to stop preaching rather than remove prayers for the king from his services. On May 19 of that year, the Dedham Board of Selectmen charged him with treason. Two days later, a mob confronted him, though he managed to escape again. The mob was angered because Clark had written a letter of recommendation for a loyalist they had previously expelled after confiscating his farming implements and other possessions. On June 5, 1777, Clark was arrested and transported to Boston for a military tribunal. When his carriage broke down, he was forced to walk several miles to continue the journey. He was denied legal counsel and was not informed of the evidence against him. Though nearly acquitted, his refusal to pledge allegiance to the Commonwealth led to his imprisonment on a ship for ten weeks, which severely impacted on his health. Released on a £500 bond, he was confined within one mile of his home. In June 1778, he secured a pass to leave for London and couldn’t return to Massachusetts until 1792. I can only imagine the intense emotions stirred when a priest prays for the enemy. It’s remarkable that there hasn’t been more violence against the Moscow-oriented church and its clergy in Ukraine. Ukraine’s tolerant institutions deserve credit for navigating this complex societal and legal challenge surrounding the transformation of the Orthodox Church. With over 70% of Ukrainian churchgoers attending Orthodox services, whose liturgies have remained largely unchanged for more than 1,000 years, it’s vital that leaders approach this situation with great care. Meanwhile, American Christians, especially Christian Nationalists, have been misled by Russian disinformation and figures like Tucker Carlson, with false claims such as “Ukraine persecutes Christians.” It’s vital that authorities only arrest “spy priests” who are aiding the enemy, not the faithful. This is likely what Pope Francis is emphasizing—giving Ukraine’s enemies as little reason as possible to distort the truth while allowing people to worship freely. Anglican priests in the 18th century faced ordeals similar to the challenges pro-Moscow Orthodox clergy face today. The schism is not only about political allegiance but also deeply held religious beliefs. Priests take oaths during their ordination, and now, like the American Anglican clergy 250 years before them, Orthodox priests in Ukraine are torn between loyalty to their faith and adapting to a rapidly changing cultural and political landscape. Still, for clergy in Ukraine today, their loyalties must be unambiguously aligned with their nation. There is no room for Moscow sympathies in Ukrainian churches during war times—change is required. Closing with a Woman’s Role in War and Faith It’s striking how often women like my cousin, Mary Richards, are overlooked in histories of religious and political conflicts. Back to Bucha, highlights the resilience of women in Ukraine who returned after initially fleeing, determined to raise their children in their own homes in their own country. Their stories of home, faith, and courage in the midst of war echo the stories of our ancestors found in St. Paul’s graveyard from yesteryear. As I get ready to return to Ukraine to work on the third film in the series, Beyond Bucha – Finding the Spirit in Ukraine from the Churches to the Front, I frequently get asked two questions: "Why did you start doing this?" and "Aren't you scared?" My answer is: “not much”. Recent data shows that the danger in Ukraine, away from the front lines, is similar to what we face in the U.S. from gun violence. They fear missiles, we fear guns. The recent missile strike in Lviv, which killed a young family, is a sobering reminder of the violence that exists there, as is similarly exhibited in the recent shooting in Georgia. Fortunately for citizens of both countries is that the chances are low in both. I also remind myself daily of the words from Matthew 6:25-34, reminding us not to worry, for each day has enough trouble of its own. 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. For the other question you’ll need to come for the Q&A after the film.
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 On this Memorial Day, these words of American founding father Thomas Paine seem written for Ukrainians today: “THESE are the times that try men's souls… Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value.” The American Crisis, No. 1, December 23, 1776 A year or so later, Paine would write another poignant piece seemingly directed at Putin: "TO argue with a man who has renounced the use and authority of reason, and whose philosophy consists in holding humanity in contempt, is like administering medicine to the dead, or endeavoring to convert an atheist by scripture. Enjoy, sir, your insensibility of feeling and reflecting. It is the prerogative of animals. And no man will envy you these honors, in which a savage only can be your rival and a bear your master." The American Crisis, No. 5, March 21, 1778 It was actually written to General William Howe, Commander-in-Chief of the British Army, while Washington and his troops were enduring the winter at Valley Forge.  Thomas Paine On this Memorial Day, we can look back to May 1778, when Washington was preparing his army to march out of Valley Forge a better trained, better supplied, and more confident force. Washington had managed to get what he needed out of America’s Congress, and France had become an official ally. As in Ukraine today, much help was coming—soon.
That winter was the toughest time for Washington, his army, and America’s future. But the army emerged stronger for it, having used the winter to resupply and train. Similarly, the Ukrainian armed forces will use the coming months to resupply and train. Like France in the spring of 1778, America is no longer on the fence, which should give great hope to Ukrainian soldiers as they begin to be resupplied by steadfast allies. However, if America’s war teaches us anything, the war in Ukraine is far from over. After Valley Forge, the war with Britain continued for another three years until the Battle of Yorktown—and another three decades before the British were defeated in the War of 1812. It would be great if victory in Ukraine came sooner, but there are few signs this will happen, especially with the West trying to avoid even a small nuclear exchange, effectively forcing Ukraine to fight with one hand tied behind its back. Hopefully, Ukrainians can find hope and renewed determination at this moment, as their liberties hang in the balance just as ours did 246 years ago. I’m confident they will. It’s in the Spirit of Ukraine.  This week, some 246 years ago on December 19, 1777, General George Washington lead his battered 12,000-man army into their winter quarters having just failed to retake Philadelphia. The war for America’s independence was well into its third year going back to the first battles at Lexington and Concord, and Bunker Hill in the spring of 1775. It must have seemed long ago that his army had chased the English out of Boston and his crossing of the Delaware to beat the Hessians in Trenton. As he entered Valley Forge that Christmas Washington had no way to feed or adequately clothe his soldiers. They were alone. French assistance wouldn’t begin in earnest until the spring. That winter about 1,700 to 2,000 soldiers died from disease, possibly exacerbated by malnutrition.  "To see men without clothes to cover their nakedness, without blankets to lay on, without shoes by which their marches might be traced by the blood from their feet, and almost as often without provisions as with; marching through frost and snow and at Christmas taking up their winter quarters within a day's march of the enemy, without a house or hut to cover them till they could be built, and submitting to it without a murmur is a mark of patience and obedience which in my opinion can scarce be paralleled."...George Washington Washington would spend most of the winter begging the U.S. Congress for just the minimum of what was needed. Sound familiar? I imagine Ukraine’s soldiers can relate to the soldiers of America’s Continental Army that winter as they enter their third winter since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022; both cold and uncertain as America’s Congress dithers. President Zelensky can surely relate to George Washington. Both of these great men were/are reduced to beggary. And glad to do so to keep their armies going. Washington continued with a dire warning to Congress: "…unless some great and capital change suddenly takes place in that line, this Army must inevitably be reduced to one or other of these three things: starve, dissolve, or disperse, in order to obtain subsistence in the best manner they can." Some years later, Lafayette recalled that "the unfortunate soldiers were in want of everything; they had neither coats, hats, shirts, nor shoes; their feet and legs froze till they had become almost black, and it was often necessary to amputate them." In the end Washington and his army survived the winter and came out of it a more disciplined and stronger force. They had used the winter to drill and become a more professional army that would take the British on in myriad battles leading to the decisive victory at Yorktown three years later. It would not have been possible without its key ally France. Lafayette was a general in the campaign and was in large part responsible for the French fleet that kept England’s at bay.  Valley Forge could have been the end of America’s quest for independence. Americans were weary of the war without even knowing about the severe privations their soldiers were experiencing as camp leaders did not want the English to know the state of America’s army.
America’s fight for independence lasted six years or so from the battles for Boston through Yorktown. If we infer a similar timeline for Ukraine beginning with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, we might expect a war that will go through 2027. Tragic, but not unexpected. If we want to look back even further we could compare the protests to the Stamp Act – including the Boston Tea Party and Massacre - beginning in 1763 with the Maidan Protests which began in 2013. To carry the timeline even further America’s final battles with its former empire were still decades to come with the War of 1812. Empires don't give up easily. Once again, Ukraine is holding a mirror to America’s own proud heritage as they fight on – no matter the sacrifices. Similarly, as they struggle on – with the help of key allies like the USA - they will obtain the fruits of their struggle just as we enjoy the fruits of America’s struggles at Valley Forge almost 250 years ago. 
Ukraine for Christmas? Let’s go!
Sounds like an unusual place for a non-Ukrainian to go for the holidays but I can’t wait to join and document this critical time for Ukraine – especially as ongoing disinformation about the state of Christianity in Ukraine continues. This will be my third Ukraine trek since the full-scale invasion in February 2022 and I expect to see even more of the moms and children featured in Back to Bucha at the December screenings TBD. As we are seeing at our USA screenings, moms, kids, dads, and grandparents alike are being moved by those in the film. This includes 10-year-old Lily at the October 1st Boston screening at St. Andrew’s who stood up and recited a poem about Ukraine to the packed audience – and then joined in the Q&A to ask how she could help and connect with kids in Bucha. Though Lily stole the show I was honored to be joined by Oleksandra Romantsova after the film for an address and panel discussion with two stars from the film. She is the Executive Director of the Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties and was awarded the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. Liubymyr Janov, the head of Bucha’s Youth Council and Fr. Roman Nebozhuk, Archpriest of the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in Kyiv, joined us live from Ukraine via Zoom. We are grateful to all those who helped to host this event, prepare food, supply desserts and clean. Special thanks are extended to Vsevelod Petriv, Jane Yavarow, and Maria Saxe. To top it all off the event began with a wonderful performance by Valeriia Vovk whose music was used in the documentary. 
Oleksandra Romantsova and Lily
Back to Bucha’s fall tour actually began the previous day at the beautiful Claremont Opera House on a very big screen! We premiered the new 30-minute version of the film at the “Stand With Ukraine” event put together by the Sugar River Rotary. Valeriia also performed, this time on a grand piano on a grand stage – an extraordinary scene. The new shorter version of the film really gets to the essence of the documentary – moms and kids coming back home. Once again we are grateful to all those who helped host this event, serve food, hold raffles, clean, etc. A very special thanks to Sophia Sushailo and Sugar River Rotary President Charlene Lovett for treating us so well.
Donations were also record setting for one of our screening events with proceeds going to Ya Buchanec for an after-school center that was robbed by the Russian military during Bucha’s occupation.
While I’m not sure we can top these New England screenings, I am excited to screen the film for our friends in Ukraine as we begin filming the third film in our Trek to Bucha trilogy. This one focused on the truth about Christianity and religious freedom in Ukraine.  Executive director of Ukraine’s Center for Civil Liberties, 2022 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, she will also participate in the Q&A after the film. We are thrilled to have her. The United Nations Development Programme posted this about her earlier this spring: “Appalled by the brutal dispersal by riot police at a peaceful student camp in Kyiv in late 2013, Romantsova realized she wanted more than just to attend protest rallies. As a volunteer, she joined the Center for Civil Liberties, where she first learned about human rights. Later, she became its executive director - and a world-renowned human rights advocate. From call-center to Nobel Peace Prize: Meet human rights activist Oleksandra Romantsova | United Nations Development Programme (undp.org) The Center for Civil Liberties is currently working on documenting war crimes in Ukraine. They are the first Ukrainian organization or person to be bestowed this prestigious award; and Sasha personally has been to Bucha on behalf of CCL and their war crime documentation activities. Here’s the tentative schedule for the afternoon program:
Ukrainian cuisine will be available for purchase. This screening will also feature newly installed Ukrainian captions. This is a donation driven event. Admission is free though donations are encouraged. Space is limited so please register and donate by clicking here.  Big Opening Weekend in New England with Additional October Dates in Pennsylvania and South Florida I am SO looking forward to kicking off Back to Bucha’s fall screening tour in Boston and New Hampshire with two fantastic screenings next weekend.  Claremont, NH – Saturday, September 30th at 4:00 PM EDT The tour begins next Saturday at the beautiful Claremont Opera House on a very big screen! We will be premiering the new 30-minute version of the film at the “Stand With Ukraine” event put together by the Sugar River Rotary. I’m especially pleased that the film’s soundtrack composer Valeriia Vovk will also be performing. As the presidential primary season really heats up it is an opportunity to help keep Ukraine in the minds of New Hampshire residents. Especially since the new shorter version of the film really gets to the essence of the film – moms and kids coming back home. And to top it off, this will be the film’s New Hampshire premiere! For more click here.  Boston, MA – Sunday, October 1st at 12:30 PM EDT Next is our long-awaited screening at the St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Jamaica Plain which is the first Orthodox Church to screen the film. I am also honored that Sasha Romantsova, Executive Director of the Center for Civil Liberties in Ukraine, winner of the 2022 Nobel Prize, will join me for the Q&A after the film. Additionally, Liubimyr Janov, the head of Bucha’s Youth Council and featured in the film, will be joining us live from Ukraine via Zoom. We are also once again very fortunate that the film’s soundtrack composer Valeriia Vovk will also be performing. 50% of the net proceeds from the film will go to Ya Buchanec, a Bucha based non-profit. For more click here. Additional October dates include:  Lake Worth Beach, FL – Wednesday, October 18th at 11AM EDT - St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church  Lancaster, PA – Tuesday, October 24th at 7:00 PM EDT - Grandview Church We will provide additional details as we get closer to these events.
Come out and see us! We are thrilled that Valeriia Vovk will be performing at the Boston screening of Back to Bucha on October 1st.
Valeriia donated the use of her song The War We Didn’t Ask For, which is the powerful soundtrack for the film. As she describes it: “The War We Didn’t Ask For is an aggressive song about the beginning of war. It translates the anger, fear, sadness, and readiness to fight”. The screening and performance take place at St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Jamaica Plain on Sunday, October 1st, 2023 at 12:30 PM (7:30 PM Bucha Time). The film’s director Steve Richards will be in attendance to lead the Q&A after the event that will also include “stars” from the film live from Ukraine. Originally from Odessa, Ukraine she uses her music as a foundation for her activism for Ukraine. She has Boston ties as a recent graduate of Berklee College of Music and as a member of Bear Witness, executive producer of the film. The screening and performance take place at St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Jamaica Plain on Sunday, October 1st, 2023 at 12:30 PM (7:30 PM Bucha Time). The film’s director Steve Richards will be in attendance to lead the Q&A after the event that will also include “stars” from the film live from Ukraine. There is no charge to attend the screening though donations are encouraged with 50% of the net proceeds going to: the Bucha based non-profit Ya Buchanec. Seats are limited. To register for the event, click here. Woo hoo! The day is almost here and we are SO looking forward to the premiere of Back to Bucha: Finding the Spirit in Ukraine at the place where it all began, Christ the King Ukrainian Catholic Church in Boston tomorrow, Sunday the 30th. The screening will take place at 12:30 PM Boston time (19:30 Bucha time), and several of the film’s “stars” in Ukraine will participate in the Q&A afterwards via Zoom. The entire event will be live streamed on Facebook Live at facebook.com/TheoEcoOrg so that all can join us worldwide live from Boston and Ukraine.  Two of the film’s “stars” who will be joining us include Father Roman Nebozhuk (UCC) and his daughter Andriana in Kyiv. Fr. Roman is Archpriest of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Patriarchal Cathedral in Kyiv and at the center of the ecumenical community in Kyiv working with Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish, and Islamic faith leaders there. Andriana is an attorney in Kyiv who also works at the Nursery school so prominent in the new film where she acts as both guide and impassioned interviewee. I am also hopeful that several others will be joining as well including the ladies at Jul’s Coffee and Peace coffee shop in Bucha. This is going to be a celebration! I am also very excited that Valeriia Vovk will be performing The War We Didn’t Ask For and several other selections before the screening. Valeriia donated the use of this song which is featured poignantly throughout the film – and it really sets the tone. Originally from Odesa she has Boston ties as a graduate of Berklee College of Music and as a member of Bear Witness where I was introduced to her by its president Alex Gamota. Both Valeriia and Alex will be joining the Q&A panel in Boston. For more see Back to Bucha – Valeriia Vovk to Perform at Boston Premiere (theoeco.org)
Seats are still available and registering for the event is encouraged to assure you have a seat. To register click here. There is no charge to attend though donations are encouraged. 50% of net proceeds will go to Ukraine Forward and Bear Witness. To donate click here. I hope to see you there or on TheoEco’s facebook page! I am excited to announce that Valeriia Vovk (ValeriiaVovk.com), composer of The War We Didn’t Ask For, will be performing at the Boston premiere of Back to Bucha on April 30th. Valeriia donated the use of her song which is featured in the film and the film’s trailer. Originally from Odessa, Ukraine she uses her music as a foundation for her activism for Ukraine. She has Boston ties as a recent graduate of Berklee College of Music and as a member of Bear Witness where I was introduced to her by Alex Gamota. Bear Witness is an Executive Producer of Back to Bucha. As she describes it: “The War We Didn’t Ask For is an aggressive song about the beginning of war. It translates the anger, fear, sadness, and readiness to fight”. When I first heard it I was blown away even though I didn’t understand the words as she sings them in Ukrainian. When I watched the video with English captions I noted the softer elements of the song with phrases like: “You could hear how everyone in the country had a prayer on their lips”; “We’ve been told that we’re the flowers of Ukraine”; and perhaps most of all: “Because freedom is everything to us”. I also love: “That the children of Kozaks fight” and “Ukraine you are alive!”.
Непрошена Війна (The War We Didn't Ask For) | Valeriia Vovk - YouTube Valeriia’s performance and Back to Bucha’s premiere screening will take place at Christ the King Ukrainian Catholic Church in Jamaica Plain at 12:30 PM Boston time (18:30 Bucha time). We are also hopeful that a star or two in Ukraine will be able to participate in the Q&A afterwards. The entire event will be live streamed on Facebook Live. To reserve a seat at the premiere click here. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! 247 Years Ago Today the British Left Boston Like the Russians Left Bucha.3/17/2023  This
The “invincible” (sound familiar) British army was sent running, never to return. St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated BIG in Boston and throughout New England. Parades last for hours with unimaginable numbers of bag pipers and Irish dancers – and politicians! Not to mention the limitless flows of green beer and Irish whiskey being imbibed. One can only imagine if people realized the importance of the date in Boston history how much more raucous the whole event might be. I’ll certainly have a shot and a toast to George Washington and Boston’s patriots on their victory today. At this point in 1776 Thomas Paine’s Common Sense had just been published and these immortal words with such applicability to Ukraine today, had yet to be penned:
We like Ukrainians because they fight so hard with so little – and win! We love them because they are so much like us with their love of country, their families, and their liberty.
It is sobering to note that while we celebrate the defeat of the British in Boston we have to note that the war was just getting started. It would be another five years of hard fought battles in the colonies until Yorktown and another two years before the war was finally over. American Revolutionary War - Wikipedia The biggest source of angst in Ukraine is not whether Ukraine will win. Rather it is the question of when. How much longer will it last? We hear it repeated over and over in our new film Back to Bucha. If America’s Revolution is any indication, it could be a while. |
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