HUNDREDS of people laid candles and daffodils in Winchester Cathedral during what was an emotional vigil for Ukraine this morning.
The vigil, which took place at 11am, 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 praying 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 church 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 both young and old formed 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.
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’.”
READ MORE: Hundreds lay candles and daffodils at Winchester Cathedral in emotional vigil for Ukraine
Steve Brine MP said: “It was extraordinary, I was in Kingsgate this morning and people were streaming past with daffodils. I stood quietly at the back and 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 collective 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 for the Disaster Emergency Committee's Ukraine appeal Chris Roles also delivered a speech during the vigil, with donations collected at the end of the service.
To donate online, visit: dec.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal.
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