LANCASTER, Pa. — Lancaster officials raised the Ukrainian flag in front of City Hall as a sign of solidarity with the country recently invaded by Russia. It was moment that members of the local Ukrainian community will never forget.
"The support is just monumental," said Khrystyna Diaz, a member of St. Andrew Ukrainian Catholic Church. "It's great. We're so grateful. It's so nice that they respect our flag in solidarity with us."
Diaz moved from western Ukraine to Lancaster in 2015. Although she's thousands of miles away from the war, the fear for her family living on the frontlines weighs on her mind every day.
"It's devastating," she said. "My parents are still there. My grandparents are still there."
Despite the ongoing war in Ukraine, the raising of the country's flag in Lancaster left many smiles on central Pennsylvania's Ukrainian community members.
"We have so much support here," said Tetiana Vovk with Röchling Medical Lancaster. "In our church, in our community—you people are incredible."
Oksana Kerod, a member of the St. Andrew Ukrainian Catholic Church along with Diaz, echoed similar feelings about the support she has received in the past two weeks.
"It means a lot to our community because we are a little community in Lancaster," said Kerod.
Lancaster City Council unanimously adopted a resolution formalizing its support of the Ukrainian people.
"That's just a way of underlining our support and hopefully being able to speak with unanimity to say that you are a part of our community, [and] we will stand up for you," explained Lancaster City Council President Ismail Smith-Wade-El.