Home CYM Canada CYM’s 100 year celebrations in Kyiv

CYM’s 100 year celebrations in Kyiv

2025-09-24

More than 150 CYM members from all over Ukraine and CYM members from around the world began the Jubilee Rally for the 100th anniversary of CYM with a march from St. Michael’s Monastery to St. Sophia Cathedral and a solemn zbirka!

They began with the most important thing – honoring the 11 fallen CYM members-fighters, eleven portraits and the twelfth – the founder and fighter Mykola Pavlushkov, which were held by young people from all over Ukraine – Yevhen Voitsekhivskyy, Vitaliy Volkotrub, Mykhailo Dimitrov, Hryts Dobosh, Oleg Yurchenko, Viktor Melnychenko, Yurko Moroz, Hryhoriy Stepanuk, Roman Korvatskyy, Yaroslav Kondryshyn, Vasyl Mykytsej – all the CYM fighters who died in battle were “present”!

In addition to the traditional attributes of the zbirka, a special festive moment took place on Sofiyska Square. Father Petro Zhuk consecrated the jubilee icon of CYM – the patron saint of CYM and the city of Kyiv, Saint Michael the Archangel.

“We swear to strengthen our bodies and spirits, to nurture in ourselves high Christian and national virtues…” With these words, all those present also took the CYM Jubilee Oath, which was read by CYM member, volunteer, and military officer Andriy Sokolov.

After the gathering, Father Heorhii Kovalenko and Father Petro Zhuk held an interfaith prayer service in St. Sophia’s Cathedral for Ukraine, its defenders, and CYM members.

After a delicious snack, a panel discussion was held on the grounds of St. Michael’s Monastery, where the history and ideology of CYM, its connection with the processes of Ukrainian statehood and the struggle for our statehood were discussed. The speakers were representatives of CYM in the diaspora, prominent figures of CYM in Ukraine, and friends of the organization, including: CYM President Andriy Bihun, CYM Vice-President – Harry Nesmasznyj, member and former Chairman of the OUN (b) Leadership – Andriy Haidamacha, Chairman of KY CYM in Ukraine – Oleksandr Semyrha, Chairman of the CYM Educational Council – Nelia Lavrinenko, member and one of the co-founders of the CHYM/CYM in 1989) – Orest Tuchkovsky, Rector of St. Sophia University – Father George Kovalenko, Chaplain of CYM Ukraine – Father Peter Zhuk. The moderator was fellow member, TV and radio host, journalist Vadym Karpiak.

In the afternoon, the program included a gala meeting at the Art Center of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, where numerous words of congratulations were spoken. Andriy Sokolov, a founding member of CYM and a soldier, spoke about the fulfillment of CYM’s slogan, “The Honor of Ukraine – Ready to Defend,” and the heroic deeds of our comrades, thanks to whom CYM is still able to exist in a free Ukraine.

CYM Chairman Andriy Bihun thanked the CYM members of Ukraine and awarded the honorary distinction named after CYM founder Mykola Pavlushkov to Nelya Lavrinenko, Andriy Haidamacha, Sviatoslav Lypovetsky, and Yuriy Ilyash.

Bohdan Ben, a CYM member and soldier, also presented CYM members with awards from the Commander of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for their assistance to the army.

A charity auction was also held during the gala meeting! In particular, trophies from CYM members who are military personnel were raffled off, and the evening ended with an apt and inspiring performance by the band “Khoreya Kozatska” with Taras Kompanichenko.

The next day, August 16, the participants traveled around the Kyiv region. The group learned about the historical and cultural heritage of the region, visited places associated with important historical figures in Ukrainian history, and attended a liturgy.

They visited Kaniv – Tarasova Hora, which is part of the Shevchenko National Reserve “Tarasova Hora” and the burial place of the poet Taras Shevchenko. They also took a tour of places that symbolize the path of the Kobzar – the village of Vytachiv, where there is a chapel rebuilt according to Shevchenko’s drawings and where, according to legend, the Kobzar planned to build a house for himself, and the village of Tsybli, which offers a view of the villages flooded by the Kaniv Reservoir (in particular, the village of Vyunyshche), where Taras wrote his epoch-making works, including “To the Dead, the Living, and the Unborn.”

We also visited Pereyaslav, places associated with Hetman Ivan Mazepa and Hryhorii Skovoroda. There, we had a very informative talk under the Oak of the Ukrainian Nation from local historian and head of the “Root of the Nation” public organization Mykola Bohatyr. It is symbolic that the trip of Sumy residents through the Kyiv region united Ukraine on the right and left banks of the Dnipro.

On August 16–17, 2025, a nationwide pilgrimage to the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Kyiv took place, dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the restoration of the Kyiv Metropolis and the 20th anniversary of the return of the seat of the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church to Kyiv. On Sunday, August 17, a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was held in the Patriarchal Cathedral, led by His Beatitude Sviatoslav.

Thus, the participants of the Jubilee Gathering concluded the Gathering with this important Liturgy in the Patriarchal Cathedral of the UGCC. The chaplain of the Ukrainian Youth Association in Ukraine, Father Petro Zhuk, was awarded the Distinction of Spiritual Guardian of the Ukrainian Youth Association, and Bishop Stepan Sus, General Chaplain of the Ukrainian Youth Association, and His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, received symbolic thanks from the Ukrainian Youth Association in Ukraine.

A zbirka was also held on the grounds of the Patriarchal Cathedral, where the program celebrating the 100th anniversary of the CYM came to its conclusion. In such a symbolic place, the results of the Gathering were summarized, and everyone set off to create a new century of history in all CYM branches across the country!

“…to strengthen the body and spirit, to nurture high Christian and national virtues…”

These are words from the Jubilee Oath of the CYMivtsi to the 100th anniversary of the Organization—it was sworn by all participants of the Zbirka on Sofiyska Square in Kyiv, in the heart of our spirituality and statehood.

It was a moment of unity between generations – CYM members together confirmed the continuity of the Organization’s ideas and their readiness to continue to faithfully serve God and Ukraine.

On this centenary, we remind everyone – #і100рію_творимо_ми! These are our plans and our choice for the beginning of a new century of CYM.