Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

‘Today, we are all Ukrainian’: Service brings outpouring of support, solidarity for Ukrainians in Vegas

Mass For Ukraine At Holy Spirit

Steve Marcus

Jenny Arata of Ukraine and her husband Vittorio speak during a special Mass for Ukraine at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church Sunday, March 13, 2022.

Mass For Ukraine At Holy Spirit

Members of the congregation line up to donate to Ukrainian charities during a special Mass for Ukraine at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church Sunday, March 13, 2022. Launch slideshow »

Jenny Arata of “The Skating Aratas” was preparing backstage at Planet Hollywood for her extreme roller skating show like any other evening when her cellphone rang.

Her sister in the Ukraine was on the other line frantically crying with the news, “They are bombing us everywhere,” Arata recalled her saying.

That early morning attack on Ukraine Feb. 24 by Russia has brought great destruction and loss of life to Arata’s native country, creating a sense of hopelessness to the performer and other entertainers from the Ukraine who call Las Vegas home while they work in shows up and down the Strip.

They are desperate for information on the well-being of their loved ones, devastated by the loss of land and life, and wondering why Russian President Vladimir Putin would go to such senseless extreme measures.

Some of those performers gathered Sunday at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Summerlin for a solidarity Mass, where the service opened with the Ukrainian national anthem and attendees wore the country’s yellow and blue colors.

“I was in complete shock,” Arata said of the phone call. “This is the hardest time in my life since I lost my father.”

Arata’s sister and two nephews initially took to safety in the basement of the relative. They have since fled to Poland, among the estimated 2.5 million Ukrainians — mostly women and children — to quickly leave their homes and livelihood.

“We are seeing a humanitarian crisis unfold before our eyes, a crisis unlike anything we have seen since the advent of World War II as refugees are fleeing for safety, and many of your brothers, fathers and friends are left behind to defend their homeland,” said Bishop George Leo Thomas, leader of the Catholic diocese of Las Vegas, in opening the service.

“We ask God to bless and protect them, and also to open the hearts and borders of every nation, including our own, to those seeking refuge and safety.”

The service was attended by many from the Holy Spirit community in solidarity with the Arata family, who are members of the church. Many of the parishioners had tears welled up in their eyes and flowing down their faces when Jenny and her husband, Vittorio, addressed the congregation.

Vittorio, an eighth-generation circus performer, never imagined the family would stay long in Las Vegas when they arrived about 11 years ago to perform on the Strip. But, as witnessed by the outpouring at the service, they fell in love with the community.

“I never thought we’d be here longer than six months,” Vittorio Arata said. “...Without each of you, this would be too difficult. This is testing us and showing we will always support each other.”

The Rev. Bill Kenny, pastor at Holy Spirit, coordinated with the family to host the service. The Mass collection was donated by the church to Republic Pilgrim, an orphan program in Ukraine long supported by the Aratas that was destroyed in the attacks.

“Today, we are all Ukrainian,” Kenny said in his sermon. “You are our brothers and our sisters. We won’t let you down. We won’t forget you.”

Olga Oborska, Jenny’s mother, arrived in Las Vegas from Ukraine in early February for a visit. Now, she’s uncertain when she’ll return. And if she does, she wonders what will remain of her home as many buildings in the neighborhood are nothing but rubble, she said.

Vladmir Dovgan, a performer with Cirque Dreams, stays in contact with Ukrainian family and friends through daily video calls. His hometown of Lviv in western Ukraine hasn’t been attacked, but residents there are preparing for the unavoidable reality of war. He’s constantly worried.

Being at the service gave him a “great sense of community and how everyone wants peace in this world.”

One of the attendees held up a sign that read, “End this genocide.” That was the overwhelming message from the celebrants.

“We gather to pray for a cessation of the bloodshed, and an end to the aggression and madness of war, praying and hoping that diplomacy and dialogue may prevail over the explosive and unprovoked acts of aggression we are witnessing on Ukraine soil,” Thomas said.