HEROES’ DAY — A SYMBOL OF THE RESILIENCE OF THE UKRAINIAN NATION

Every nation has its sacred dates — days when time seems to erase the boundaries between past and present, bringing generations together around shared values. For the Ukrainian people, Heroes’ Day is one such milestone — an annual observance established to honor those who have fought for Ukraine’s freedom, generations of people who have sacrificed, and continue to sacrifice, to defend its freedom, independence, and identity.

Heroes’ Day is not merely a date on the calendar; it is a living symbol of the indomitable Ukrainian spirit, embodied in the valor of the warriors of Kyivan Rus, the Cossacks, the Sich Riflemen, the Ukrainian insurgents, and today’s soldiers who hold the line on the front. This day honors the greatness of human sacrifice and reminds us that the right to be Ukrainian has been paid for with the highest price — human life.

Origins of the holiday

The idea of a separate Heroes’ Day emerged during the interwar period among Ukrainian nationalists. The Ukrainian diaspora and the patriotic underground in Ukraine sought a way to preserve the memory of the leaders of the liberation movement whose lives were cut short by the enemy’s treacherous actions.

The holiday was officially established in April 1941 by a resolution of the Second Great Assembly of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) in Kraków. The date — May 23 — was chosen for its profound symbolism. May proved to be a fateful month for an entire generation of prominent figures in Ukraine’s struggle for independence:

Three figures who set the date

By deliberately choosing this tragic constellation of dates in May, Ukrainian patriots transformed days of mourning into days of spiritual triumph and national honor.

The holiday in the underground and diaspora

During the Second World War and the fierce armed struggle of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army against the Nazi and Soviet totalitarian regimes, Heroes’ Day was commemorated deep underground and in forest hideouts. Despite the mortal danger, solemn and moving rituals emerged: according to OUN instructions, the graves of fallen fighters were decorated with national ribbons and flags were displayed on the eve of the holiday. On the evening of May 23, at a designated time, bells rang mournfully in churches and villages. Torches were lit at symbolic graves, people gathered, speeches were delivered, and the hymn “We Were Born in a Great Hour” was sung with inspiration.

The Soviet occupation regime sought to erase any mention of this observance from the collective memory of Ukrainians, branding it “bourgeois-nationalist.” Yet the tradition survived thanks to the Ukrainian diaspora, which kept the flame of remembrance alive abroad for decades.

Return to the homeland

Following the restoration of Ukraine’s independence in 1991, Heroes’ Day gradually began to return to its homeland. At first, this took place through civic organizations and patriotic communities, primarily in western Ukraine. Large marches of UPA veterans, Cossack events, and memorial services were held. Over time, the observance grew into a nationwide tradition, moving far beyond regional customs and resonating in the hearts of people across the country.

Heroes of today

Today, amid the brutal and protracted full-scale war waged by Russia against our country, Heroes’ Day has taken on an entirely new — painful, yet deeply unifying — meaning. If in the past this date was associated primarily with history textbooks and figures from the past, today our heroes have the faces of our contemporaries.

Today, May 23 is a day when the entire nation bows its head before the heroes of our time. It is a day to remember the Heavenly Hundred, who gave their lives on the Maidan for our country’s European choice, and the defenders who have resisted Russian aggression since 2014 during the Anti-Terrorist Operation and Joint Forces Operation. But above all, it is a day of gratitude to the titans of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, border guards, intelligence officers, and all the forces of Ukraine’s security and defence sector who, right now, under the enemy’s relentless fire, are holding the front line.

The heroes of today have proven that the Ukrainian nation has not lost the legacy of its glorious ancestors. Modern Ukrainian warriors demonstrate the same level of military courage, ingenuity, strategic thinking, and self-sacrifice as the warriors of Prince Sviatoslav or the resistance fighters of the 20th century. Every day, they are writing a new chapter in the history of military science, stopping and defeating an enemy that vastly outnumbers them in both manpower and resources.

Continuity and duty

Thus, Heroes’ Day is a celebration of historical justice that firmly connects all stages of Ukraine’s thousand-year tradition of statehood. It demonstrates the continuity of our military traditions and reminds us that the Ukrainian pursuit of freedom cannot be destroyed by missiles or occupying armies.

For our civic organization and for Ukrainian society as a whole, Heroes’ Day is a source of national pride and identity. The memory of those who fell and the respect of the entire nation for those who continue to defend Ukraine are the cement that holds the country together in its darkest times. Our heroes have given us the most precious gift — time to fight and a chance to preserve our state. Let us remember them, support our army every day, and bring closer the Victory for which they gave their lives.