People gather across Pittsburgh to show support for Ukraine

PITTSBURGH — All across Pittsburgh, people are gathering to show support for the people of Ukraine.

Sunday evening, people rallied in downtown Pittsburgh for peace in Ukraine. Just a short time later, a church service was held in Carnegie, praying for peace.

Hundreds of people gathered at the Gateway Station downtown to show their support. Natalia Turianyn, a Ukraine native, said what’s happening back home is devastating, but that the support here means so much.

“Everyone thinks this is nothing, but this is everything,” Turianyn said. “If everyone will stand up and say no war, everything will be OK.”

Three teenagers, who all have family in Ukraine, organized the rally, which brought out leaders like Mayor Ed Gainey.

Andrew Romanchik, 15, said he first heard of the invasion from his family the day it began.

“I got the message and it was just two words: ‘It’s war,’” Romanchik said.

He told Channel 11 News that he and his friends wanted to help.

“We cannot fight for Ukraine’s army. We’re here, so we did what we could in America,” he said.

As things wrapped up downtown, the St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Carnegie filled up.

Rev. Noah Evans of St. Paul Episcopal Church was just one of nearly a dozen faith leaders who took part in a vigil to pray for peace in Ukraine.

“It’s important for people to have a visible sign of support,” Evans said.

The pastor at St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, Sarah Irwin, said the vigil came about after she spoke with the pastor of the St. Peter and St. Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church, who said the best thing people could do to help is pray.

“So many people right now are anxious, and they need that hope that there’s something bigger than all of us, that we’re part of something that transcends from our differences,” Irwin said.

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