In eastern Ukraine, the city of Pokrovsk is on the brink of falling to Russian forces. Yet, a famous Christmas carol, Shchedryk, also known as Carol of the Bells, remains a powerful symbol of Ukrainian resilience. This Pokrovsk Carol of Hope is inspiring defenders to keep fighting.
The city is deserted, with most residents fleeing. Ihor and Oksana, who remain, live in constant fear of shelling. They lack necessities like electricity and water. The city’s famous music school, named after composer Mykola Leontovych, lies empty and boarded up.
Leontovych composed Shchedryk between 1904 and 1908. The carol gained international popularity after American composer Peter Wilhousky wrote English lyrics. Today, it’s a beloved Christmas classic around the world.
For Ukrainians, Shchedryk is more than just a carol – it’s a symbol of national pride and resistance. A Ukrainian military band is even playing it in the trenches, using weapons as makeshift instruments. Colonel Bohdan Zadorozhnyy, the band’s conductor, says the carol boosts soldiers’ morale and inspires them to fight.
As Pokrovsk teeters on the edge of collapse, its people cling to their cultural heritage, including “Shchedryk”. The carol has become an anthem of Ukrainian defiance. Pokrovsk’s residents are doing everything they can to preserve their culture and identity.
The director of Pokrovsk’s History Museum, Angelina Rozhkova, has salvaged and transferred most of the museum’s prized possessions to safety. Russia, she says, wants to destroy Ukraine’s culture and everything precious to its people. The Pokrovsk Carol of Hope remains a powerful force in Ukraine’s fight for freedom.
