Rosary group’s fundraiser for
Ukraine invokes St. Michael
St. Michael the Archangel is at the heart of a fundraiser for the people of Ukraine, organized by an online group that prays the rosary daily through the Zoom (https://catholicvoiceomaha.com/begun-during-pandemic-virtual-rosary-has-helped-participants-weather-lifes-ups-and-downs/).
For a suggested minimum donation of $50, people can purchase an 8-by-10 photo (11–by-14 with the frame) of the St. Michael statue that stands prominently in Independence Square in the capital city of Kyiv. A portion of the donation will cover the cost of the image, with the rest going to relief and recovery efforts.
The photo can serve as a reminder to pray to St. Michael for the protection of Ukraine, said Scott Aurit, a member of the online prayer group.
Andrew's St. Michael the Archangel Project for Ukraine Picture Order Form
This statue was built in 2001 in Independence Square, Kiev, Ukraine. The people of Ukraine have long held a devotion to St. Michael the Archangel going back to the Golden-Domed Monastery of St. Michael the Archangel in 1108. The USSR destroyed the Monastery in 1936, but it was rebuilt in 2000. St. Michael the Archangel has been featured prominently on the coat of arms for the city since the 17th century. St. Michael remains a powerful protector, along with the Virgin Mary, over the people of Kyiv. In addition, St. Andrew the Apostle proclaimed the gospel to the areas of Kyiv and further into Russia in the first century. There is a church dedicated to him in Kyiv where he placed a cross.
We framed this picture and Andrew wanted to hang it on a wall in his room so he can look at it as he falls asleep each night. We also gave a framed picture to our next-door neighbors (Olexiy, Svitlana, and their two sons), who departed Ukraine shortly after the first invasion in 2014.