Watch London choir sing a “Prayer for Ukraine”

“Prayer for Ukraine” was composed by Mykola Lysenko, in 1885, with lyrics by poet and civil activist Oleksandr Konysky. It became the spiritual anthem of Ukraine during the Ukrainian War of Independence (1917-1920) and has been popularly played at religious services and major national functions ever since. 

The song was written during a time of conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and as such it has become more prominent since February 24, 2022. It was originally written for a children’s choir, but the complex chords proved too difficult for children to sing. Instead, it was released for a treble choir. In the years since, it has evolved to a full four-part choral piece that can be taken on by choirs of any size.

On February 26, the Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York performed the song in the cold open of Saturday Night Live. The choir, which was established to preserve the musical culture of Ukraine, was dressed in traditional Ukrainian garb and sang before a table of candles that spelled “Kyiv.” Watch the performance below. 

The translated lyrics read: