On September 13,Voznesensk diocese of the UOC (MP) marked the first anniversary of the community of hearing impaired persons. Last year the first Liturgy for the hearing impaired persons was celebrated in the church of St. Barbara, Pervomaisk city of Mykolaiv region, RISU journalist Tetiana Dlinna reports.
On September 13,Voznesensk diocese of the UOC (MP) marked the first anniversary of the community of hearing impaired persons. Last year the first Liturgy for the hearing impaired persons was celebrated in the church of St. Barbara, Pervomaisk city of Mykolaiv region, RISU journalist Tetiana Dlinna reports.
Today, the Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the anniversary was celebrated in the Holy Protection temple in Pervomaisk by Chairman of the UOC Family Synodal Department, Archbishop Panteleimon of Rovenky and Sverdlovsk and ruling bishop of the diocese, Bishop Alexiy of Pervomaysk and Voznesensk. Apart from parishioners, taking part in the solemn divine service were 50 hearing impaired persons from Voznesensk and communities of Odessa and Kyiv.
According to the information service of the diocese of Voznesensk, Bishop Alexiy conferred the diplomas on active participants who carried out missionary work among the hearing impaired persons, including the sign language interpreterof Pervomaysk communityYevhenya Kolomiets.
It should be noted that, missionary activity among the hearing impaired persons of the city was initiated by Archpriest Dmytro Boyko, rector of St. Barbara Church, supported by the confessor and sign language interpreter at Kyiv community of hearing impaired persons of St JonahHoly Trinity Monastery. Last year, the first liturgy was attended by 14 believers with impaired hearing, the community now has about 40 people, some of whom are school-age children, several young couples and some middle-aged and elderly people.
Father Dmytro Boyko told the RISU journalist that the parishioners with impaired hearing are special believers. Communication with them teaches a physically healthy person to appreciate life and all its manifestations, thanking the Creator for it. Like children, they wholeheartedly accept faith in God. They are interested in essence of the Orthodox faith and ask priests very deep questions. They never complain about social problems, on the contrary, they radiate optimism. One year of common parish life rallied the faithful with impaired hearing. Today it is a large family in which communication is not limited to the church premises,”Father Dmytro says.
We emphasize at Pervomayskoye church of St. Barbara during the year, every Saturday, there is a special Mass for the faithful of the hearing accompanied by sign language.
As RISU website previously reported, the UOC (MP) Diocese of Voznesensk started a new tradition at the national level –the spiritual Forum of Orthodox believers with impaired hearing dubbed Pervomaysk meetings. The first gathering was held in May this year.