Several hundred people gathered at Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church in Bridgeport on Sunday to pray and raise money for the war-torn country, writes Kevin Riordan for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The crowd sang the Ukrainian national anthem in front of the blue-and-yellow flag of the country many of them were born in and still have family living there.

Some of those present had grave words of warning about Russian president Vladimir Putin and the world.

“This is not only a war against Ukraine,” said King of Prussia resident Ruslana Naida. “It’s a war against democracy, against humanity.”

Bridgeport was also the starting point of Sunday’s show of support for Ukraine across the Philadelphia region. Many people then moved directly from the church to join pro-Ukrainian demonstrations, holding blue-and-yellow “pray for Ukraine” signs along with sunflowers, a symbol of the country and its resistance.

Several Pennsylvania politicians also attended the rally, including Madeleine Dean and Mary Gay Scanlon of Pennsylvania’s Democratic congressional delegation, and State Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

Mayor of Bridgeport Beth Jacksier noted the “spirit of Bridgeport was evident” at the rally, in an interview after the event.

Read more about the event at Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church in Bridgeport in The Philadelphia Inquirer.