Riverhead Ukrainian Catholic Church Holds Memorial for Fourth Anniversary of Russia's Invasion

Parishioners at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Riverhead gathered Feb. 24, 2026, for a solemn memorial service marking the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Local reporting and an Instagram post documenting the observance described a congregation made up largely of Ukrainian-American families, many with relatives still "in harm's way."

RiverheadLOCAL had previewed the anniversary with a notice that St. John the Baptist would mark the grim date with two public memorial observances and invited the wider community to pray for victims and for peace. The Original Report and the Instagram post confirm at least one memorial service took place on the anniversary; available accounts do not specify whether both planned services were held, the clergy who officiated, or the attendance totals.

RiverheadLOCAL recalled how the invasion began before dawn on Feb. 24, 2022, when Russian forces launched airstrikes and missiles across Ukraine and sent troops in from multiple directions, igniting what the outlet described as the largest European conflict since World War II. In local coverage of pre-invasion tensions, a parishioner identified only as Hedz told RiverheadLOCAL, "We want to live in peace. That's the bottom line," reflecting the mix of geopolitical and deeply personal stakes present in the Riverhead congregation.

The Riverhead observance occurred as U.S. Ukrainian Catholic bishops issued a forceful letter, quoted in EWTN News, asserting that "This winter, the harshest in years, has been deliberately exploited to break the spirit of a nation" and declaring, "It is a war against the people. The genocidal intent is manifest." The letter carried the signatures of Archbishop Borys Gudziak, Bishop Paul Chomnycky, OSBM, Bishop Benedict Aleksiychuk, and Bishop Bohdan Danylo. EWTN also reported that Ukrainian bishops visiting the United States ahead of the anniversary included Bishop Vitaliy Kryvytskyi of Kyiv–Zhytomyr and Bishop Pavlo Honcharuk of Kharkiv.

Humanitarian consequences cited in available coverage highlight the scale of displacement and loss. RiverheadLOCAL referenced the U.N. refugee agency's finding that roughly 1,000,000 people fled Ukraine in the first week after the Feb. 24, 2022 invasion. EWTN reported that the war has left "half a million people dead on both sides, and 9.6 million Ukrainians internally displaced or seeking refuge abroad." Those figures were presented in the context of the bishops' statements and four-year commemorations.

Church Times coverage of related parish responses in the U.K. and Norfolk noted that other congregations combined memorial liturgies with material aid; St Peter's, Sheringham organized collections of clothing, medical supplies, children's toys, and firefighting equipment, and David Styles, communications officer for the Norwich diocese, said, "This has been a cause really bringing people together - not just churchgoers but people across the community." RiverheadLOCAL and the Original Report do not indicate whether St. John the Baptist held a similar collection drive during its Feb. 24 observance.

Available accounts leave several local details unconfirmed: RiverheadLOCAL's preview of two public observances contrasts with other items that confirm only a single solemn service; parish leaders' names, the service schedule, whether the liturgy was bilingual, and a precise attendance estimate were not supplied in the material reviewed. Social media evidence includes an Instagram post referencing the Riverhead service; journalists seeking further local documentation should contact St. John the Baptist directly for service times, officiant names, attendance figures, and permission to use photographs. The memorial in Riverhead underscores how the international conflict remains a present, personal concern for families in Suffolk County.