Hundreds lay candles and daffodils at Winchester Cathedral in emotional vigil for Ukraine

The vigil, which took place at 11am on Saturday, March 12, saw Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders deliver powerful speeches against a backdrop of blue and yellow.

Many were brought to tears after a video was shown of Ukrainian citizens reciting a passage from the Book of Psalms from within bunkers and air raid shelters on screens which lined the cathedral’s pillars.

People from a variety of faiths and backgrounds were then invited to join in their prayer before the cathedral bells signalled a minute’s silence for those who are affected by the devastation caused in the wake of the Russian invasion.

At the end of the service, hundreds of people gathered in a line which spanned the length of the hall to place candles, daffodils and messages of prayer on the cathedral’s floor next to a large outline of the map of Ukraine - which was formed to provide a symbol of hope that "even in the depths of darkness, light will prevail".

There was also a performance from Winchester College student and violinist Brandon Chan, who played a rendition of a piece from legendary German composer Johann Sebastian Bach.

READ MORE: 32 of the best photos from Winchester Cathedral's vigil for Ukraine

Veronica Shaw, 63, was one of many Winchester residents who laid a daffodil in solidarity with Ukraine. She said: “I feel like many other people, quite helpless really. My parents were refugees from the Russian invasion of Hungary in 1956 and they came to this country, and it gave them sanctuary.

Winchester resident Veronica Shaw

“So, I’m appalled at what the government is doing in preventing Ukrainian refugees from coming here and I feel anything we can do as citizens to show solidarity with the people of Ukraine is wonderful and a great opportunity. I’m not a Christian, I’m of Jewish origin, but this is an opportunity to do something and that’s why I’m here.”

Abdul Kayum, 46, attended the vigil with his two young daughters Sufiya and Sabreen. He said: “Today has been incredibly powerful, the pictures really brought home how much impact this war is having on everyday people, and we can relate to those people.

Abdul Kayun with his daughter Sufiya (left) and Sabreen (right)

“As a father, you see the children being separated from their parents and the turmoil that they’re facing, and you just feel so helpless. Coming together as a community and pouring our goodwill toward those people is an immensely wonderful thing to do. The key message is there is a common humanity which surpasses all other differences, and that’s what we should be focusing on.”

Former British army officer Jonathan Shaw CB CBE said: “It was a remarkable ceremony and I think it was a moving touch to have the psalm from those in the Ukrainian bunker. The fact so many people have come from various faiths destroys the credibility of Putin’s claim to have a close liaison with the orthodox church – there is nothing religious about what he’s doing, this is a brutal campaign, and it breaks every golden rule of all faiths. It is a powerful statement, but I feel we now must stiffen our resolve and follow it up.”

Former British army officer Jonathan Shaw

The Very Rev Catherine Ogle, Dean of Winchester said: “I think a lot of us have been surprised by how deeply this has affected us, and here at the cathedral we are aware of that deep concern because people are watching images every day which are really distressing. Images of violence, of people running for their lives, sheltering or else queuing up at the border.

“When you put these things on you never know what will happen, but we felt that there was a need and people would want to come. We wanted people to hear from those in Ukraine, to give people a chance to pray and reflect together, whatever people’s faith or background. This conflict touches everyone, there is no ‘us and them’, there is only a ‘we’.”

Winchester MP Steve Brine said: “It was extraordinary, I was in Kingsgate this morning and people were streaming past with daffodils. I stood quietly at the back and just watched it and took it all in. I think people feel so helpless at the moment and I get that in my correspondence all the time. So yes, it’s just a vigil, but actually the power of prayer matters too, and the fellowship of standing together with one thought is very powerful – we all felt that today.

“I didn’t need to see the amount of people who came today to know that residents want the government to do more for Ukrainian refugees, I get it in my inbox every day and I feel it and share it, which is why I said what I said in the House of Commons this week.

“I don’t question the need to be careful and do security checks, I question the efficiency of which we’re doing it. We need to be quicker and more robust and actually act like the efficient British state which we used to be because these people don’t have time for Whitehall to get its act together.

“On Monday, we will launch the Humanitarian Sponsorship Pathway, and actually several people have come up to me today and said they’d really like to sponsor a family. There’s huge demand for that in Winchester, and I will be channelling that into the government.”

Winchester resident and trustee of the Disaster Emergency Committee, Chris Roles, provided details on the charities' Ukraine appeal during the vigil, with donations collected after the service.

To donate online, visit: dec.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal.

Message from the editor

Thank you for reading this story. We really appreciate your support.

Please help us to continue bringing you all the trusted news from your area by sharing this story or by following our Facebook page.