Sad-eyed old men and women were the first to come to the Holodomor Memorial to offer up prayers for the dead. It was hard for them to discuss the subject and they were scared by their memories. Everyone held a lit candle decorated with wheat ears. Behind them were the shadows of thousands, millions of fellow countrymen tortured to death, slaughtered, killed by famine, who were denied the right to speak their mind, even to pray. “The mute shall start so speak,” wrote Taras Shevchenko prophetically. On these days of remembrance people did speak, shared their memories, and wept.
Now as never before on such occasions one could sense James Mace being almost physically present there. That was probably why this anniversary of the Holodomor was held without the usual political pomp. The monument on Mykhailivska Square. James was among those who unveiled it. Light a candle! It was his idea. He must have sensed that the project Light a Candle! would be a very personal thing for everybody, that one would feel about it the way one feels in church. A candle lit for the dead means offering a prayer. Reciting the Lord’s Prayer, asking forgiveness for the sins of the dead and one’s own. Above all, one’s getting gradually freed from fear and servitude, when the wounds in one’s heart and those of the close and dear ones begin to heal.
On the remembrance days politicians, scholars, college students, and friends spoke warmly of James Mace, as though he were a friend, even a relative. People remembered him without having known him personally, for he was now part of their life and would remain there forever. The Day’s staff were happy because James Mace was back with the Library Series books Day and Eternity of James Mace and I was Chosen by Your Dead, and with a prize named after him. Editor in Chief Larysa Ivshyna set about carrying out these projects after his passing, to defy death and make Mace live on. “Ukrainian realities cannot be analyzed without historical context. It is not only on memorial days that we must remind ourselves that everything a living being feels was torn out of the body of Ukraine. Indeed, this pain was suffered in silence for a long time, but now these unhealing wounds are sending signals to the current Ukrainian social and especially political environment,” said Ivshyna.
Last Friday the Ukrainian Home hosted an award ceremony. Associate Professor Ihor Losev, Ph.D. (Philosophy), noted journalist, Flot Ukrainy correspondent, and regular contributor to The Day, was conferred the James Mace Prize “Public Stand.”
This decision was made by the Public Awards Council after long consultations, considering that there were 16 nominees, professional journalists whose works doubtlessly rated the award. This prize, however, is meant above all to acknowledge the author’s public stand which is systematically expressed in s/her journalist articles. The award of the first James Mace Prize laureate included a certificate, 25 thousand hryvnias from anonymous philanthropists, and a valuable present from the Hararuk Design Studio. Needless to say, to Ihor Losev spiritual connection with James Mace is far more important than any award.
