Rochester, N.Y., Aug 22, 2004 / 22:00 pm
Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, patriarch of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, made a rare visit to Rochester and Irondequoit Aug. 21 to celebrate the 13th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence from Russia, reported DemocratandChronicle.com.
This was the first time the patriarch joined the celebration in the Rochester area, where more than 25,000 Ukrainians live. About 200 people attended a ceremony with the cardinal Saturday for a new Ukrainian monument, located in nearby Irondequoit. In his speech, Cardinal Husar reportedly talked of human dignity, justice and a better future for Ukraine.
Cardinal Husar has been traveling throughout North America to raise money to build a Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in Kiev, the nation's capital.