Farewell ceremony held in Sumy for Sunday school pupils killed in RF strike

Sofia and Emilia Dvornichenko, killed in the Russian strike. Collage: UOJ

Sumy clergy performed the funeral service for two sisters who perished under the rubble of their own home as a result of a Russian airstrike. The farewell to 10-year-old Sofia and 5-year-old Emilia Dvornichenko took place at the Transfiguration Cathedral.

By the blessing of Metropolitan Yevlohiy of Sumy and Akhtyrka, the funeral service on August 6, 2026 was led by the secretary of the diocese, Archimandrite Anastasiy (Panov), co-served by the city clergy. Before the beginning of the prayer, Archimandrite Anastasiy read aloud the words of condolence from the ruling hierarch.

"Today we are standing at the coffins of two innocent children – the newly-departed maiden Sofia and the newly-departed infant Emilia," Metropolitan Yevlohiy emphasized. "This is a grief before which human words are almost powerless." The bishop noted that just a few days ago the girls prayed together with the entire community.

"On Sunday they were still among us," the archpastor recalled. "They stood in this holy temple, prayed, received Holy Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ, and studied in our Sunday school. Their pure childlike hearts were open to God. And today the Church bids them farewell to the house of the Heavenly Father."

The ruling hierarch expressed deep condolences to the parents in connection with the cruelty of the military actions that claimed the lives of the children.

"It is especially bitter to realize that their lives were so cruelly cut short by a Russian airstrike," the hierarch stated. "We see once again that war spares neither children, nor holy places, nor human tears. But evil never has the last word. The last word belongs to Christ, Who by His death conquered death and opened the doors of eternal life to mankind."

The sisters were seen off by their relatives, friends, and numerous acquaintances of the family. The girls were buried at the city cemetery near the 40th substation. The final litia at the graveside was performed by the godfather of the deceased sisters, the rector of the Sumy Church of the Righteous John of Russia, Protopriest Yevhen Fedenko. The Sumy Eparchy expressed sincere condolences to the girls' parents, Pavlo and Natalia.

The tragedy occurred on the night of August 4, 2026, when Russian guided aerial bombs completely destroyed the Dvornichenko family home. The faithful were called to pray for the repose of the sisters and for the granting of strength to their family to endure this irreplaceable loss.

As the UOJ reported, a UOC hierarch performed the funeral service for a priest of the Kyiv Eparchy killed at the front.

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