Linking Ditchling and Ukraine in Song at Christmas

Many Sussex towns and villages have welcomed friends from Ukraine during 2022, including Ditchling. On Christmas Day, Inna Husieva, a renowned Ukranian soprano, will be singing at the morning service at St Margaret's Church, Ditchling at 10am.
By Sherrian GuestContributor
Published 19th Dec 2022, 10:12 BST
Updated 19th Dec 2022, 10:12 BST

Rev David Wallis, Vicar of the Beacon Parish, says “We are so pleased that Inna has accepted an invitation to take part in our traditional Christmas day Holy Communion service, singing for all our community, including some of its newest members, who have settled in the Ditchling area having fled from the war in Ukraine.

“It will be a wonderful opportunity to hear some traditional Ukrainian songs in our church, which, like many others, is flying the Ukrainian flag and to reflect on the links between the well-known story of Christ's birth in Bethlehem and the plight of refugees today.”

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Inna feels she has lost everything in the Ukranian war.She lost her parents three years ago and her home in Donetsk, an area which has been occupied since 2014 by Russia. Having felt the effects of war on herself and her family and having survived the shelling of her own house in Donetsk, she has worked since 2014 to raise awareness of the war and funds for its victims.

As part of this, Inna performed on a fundraising single released this month. Composed by Roxanna Panufnik, the song Sleep, Jesus, Sleep' is Roxanna's own arrangement of a traditional Ukrainian Christmas carol of the same name.

As well as Inna, this new version features gospel choir Soul Sanctuary, and Afghan tabla player Sulaiman Haqpana. All proceeds will go to the Refugee Council.

Related topics:SleepUkraine