The University of Notre Dame will host a prayer service for peace in Ukraine from 6:15 to 6:45 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 23) at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes. University President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., will preside. 

Sponsored by the Office of the President in conjunction with Campus Ministry, students from Ukrainian Catholic University are also expected to participate. 

Feb. 24 marks one year since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The resulting war has claimed more than 300,000 lives to date, displaced over 5.9 million Ukrainian citizens and devastated cities and towns across the country. 

Notre Dame has had a long-standing partnership with Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) in Lviv, and this partnership has become ever more important as the University seeks to support the UCU community in this time of war. During the 2022-23 academic year, Notre Dame has hosted 28 exchange students from UCU for a semester on campus. 

Also, as part of the partnership with UCU, Notre Dame awarded 21 new grants to its faculty to conduct research alongside UCU or Ukraine-based organizations in support of the country’s recovery efforts. The diverse array of projects is focused on helping Ukraine rebuild its communities and foster resilience.

Learn more about Notre Dame’s support for Ukraine and relationship with Ukrainian Catholic University here.

In case of rain or inclement weather, the prayer service will move to the Forum in Jenkins Nanovic Halls. Updates will be posted to the prayer service webpage by noon Feb. 23.