Lithuanians Honor Four US Soldiers Who Died During Training Exercise
AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis
Apr. 3, 2025—Thousands gathered in Vilnius, Lithuania, to mourn four U.S. soldiers who died in a tragic training accident near the Belarus border.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda led the solemn farewell, highlighting the shared grief rooted in his nation's own history of sacrifice. Schoolchildren waved American and Lithuanian flags as hearses passed, and local mourners spoke with deep empathy for the young lives lost.
The soldiers, from the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, were recovered from a peat bog after their vehicle went missing during NATO exercises. The incident underscores the risks of US involvement in Eastern European affairs. As Vilnius bid farewell to Staff Sgts. Knutson-Collins, Duenez Jr., Franco, and Pfc. Taitano, it was clear their loss resonated far beyond national borders—uniting allies in grief, honor, and mutual resolve.
Read also
Met. Tikhon: 'Prayer for the Dead is One of the Great Acts of Christian Love'
His Beatitude offered a reflection for the Saturday of St. Demetrius and commemoration of the departed.
St. Jonah Orthodox Church Celebrates Centennial of Patron Saint's Repose with New Ordinations and Plans for a New Temple
Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal, Locum Tenens for ROCOR's Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America, leads festal services to mark 100 years since the repose of St. Jonah of Manchuria.
Faithful in Cyprus Publish Open Letter in Support of Met. Tychikos of Paphos
Lay group hails hierarch’s stance on ecclesiological purity as a “patristic confession” and urges prayers for his strength amid ongoing trials.
Miraculous Kursk Root Icon on Visit to Western Europe
The most sacred icon of ROCOR is traveling around the Diocese of Great Britian and Western Europe for eight weeks.
Texas Doctor Who 'Transitioned' Children Surrenders Medical License
May Lau had previously been sued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for providing prohibited “gender transition” treatments to nearly two dozen minors.
U.S. Couple Donates Relics of St. Arsenios to UOC Monastery
A sacred relic of St. Arsenios the Great was donated by a California couple to Ukraine’s Holy Dormition-Sviatogorsk Lavra, where it was solemnly received and venerated in a ceremony led by Met. Arseny.