On August 31, 2016, Metropolitan Lazar also became an honorary guest of the celebration of the Russian Navy in Sevastopol. On board of the Admiral's boat he made a tour of the ships of the Black Sea Fleet, blessing them with the right hand of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called that rests in Moscow. “Today, all ships of the Black Sea Fleet have been blessed with the right hand, which inculcated the bright faith of Christ in our Russian world. For more than 300 years our glorious fleet has won victories under St Andrew’s flag,” he said.
On July 30, on the day of the Russian Navy, Metropolitan Lazar of Simferopol and Crimea (UOC-MP) blessed the Black Sea Fleet of Russia with an icon of the flames of Admiral Theodore Ushakov, whose Russian Orthodox Church honors as “the holy righteous warrior.” This was reported by the press service of the Sevastopol Deanery of the UOC (MP). The jubilee icon of Theodore Ushakov was brought within the framework of the expedition “Blue Necklace of Russia,” during which the sail on boats was carried out across inland waterways of the Russian Federation. The icon that followed the course of the expedition from St. Petersburg, was handed over to Metropolitan Lazarus in Sevastopol at the Count's Pier, who rose with the icon on board the Admiral's boat and after the ceremony of raising the flag together with the commander of the Russian troops of the Southern District Colonel-General Alexander Dvornikov and the commander of the Black Sea Fleet of Russia Oleksandr Vitk made a tour of the ships of the Black Sea Fleet of Russia, blessing their icon. It is noted that Metropolitan Lazar entered the list of honorary guests of the celebrations together with “the head of the Republic of Crimea” Serhiy Aksionov and “acting governor of Sevastopol” Dmytro Ovsyannikov and participated in the celebrations accompanied by Dean of Sevastopol district archpriest Serhiy Haluta, head of the military department of Simferopol and Crimean Diocese Archpriest Dmytro Krotkov, Assistant Commander of the Black Sea Fleet of Russia for communication with faithful servicemen Mykhailo Mamayev. "This day, not only the soldiers, but also the priests of the Sevastopol Deanery, who perform their pastoral service in units and on warships of the Black Sea Fleet of Russia, received congratulations.” The spiritual guardianship of the soldiers is one of the important areas of the clerical ministry. “On the blessing of Metropolitan Lazarus, the priests of Sevastopol deanery carry out constant spiritual guardianship of the soldiers serving in military units and on warships of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation,” the statement reads. Metropolitan Lazar also participated in the ceremony of laying flowers to the Memorial to the defenders of Sevastopol in 1941-1942 on the square of Pavlo Nakhimov together with “Acting Governor of Sevastopol” Dmytro Ovsyannikov, “Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of Sevastopol” Kateryna Altabayeva, Russian Black Sea Fleet Commander Admiral Oleksandr Vitkov, representatives of the clergy, veterans and NGOs. On August 31, 2016, Metropolitan Lazar also became an honorary guest of the celebration of the Russian Navy in Sevastopol. On board of the Admiral's boat he made a tour of the ships of the Black Sea Fleet, blessing them with the right hand of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called that rests in Moscow. “Today, all ships of the Black Sea Fleet have been blessed with the right hand, which inculcated the bright faith of Christ in our Russian world. For more than 300 years our glorious fleet has won victories under St Andrew’s flag,” he said.