On the first Sunday of Lent, February 25, Metropolitan Onufry performed the celebration of the Feast of Orthodoxy and the Liturgy at the Refectory Church of St. Anthony and Theodosius of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Caves Lavra.
On the first Sunday of Lent, February 25, Metropolitan Onufry performed the celebration of the Feast of Orthodoxy and the Liturgy at the Refectory Church of St. Anthony and Theodosius of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Caves Lavra.
Representatives of embassies of foreign Orthodox states in Ukraine: Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Moldova, Russia, Romania and Serbia, attended the Divine Service on the occasion of the celebration of the Feast of Orthodoxy, according the Information and Educational Department of the UOC (MP).
“May the Lord help us to courageously keep the purity of the Orthodox faith,” the Metropolitan said.
During the Liturgy, a prayer for peace in Ukraine was lifted. Metropolitan Onufry greeted the attending ambassadors and representatives of the embassies of the countries, the majority of whom profess the Orthodox faith.
“This year's celebration of the Feast of Orthodoxy is a feast for the Orthodox peoples of all our countries. Your attendance of this Divine Liturgy in the Holy Lavra and our common prayer is a manifestation of the unity of our Holy Orthodox Church, a testimony of our unity and confirmation that all we are confessing one faith Our peoples belong to different Local Orthodox Churches, but all our Local Churches together make up the One Church of Christ This year's feast is the celebration of the triumph of the Church. This is how its name is translated from Greek - Triumph of Orthodoxy. This is the feats of the Church’s victory over schisms and heresies,” said Metropolitan Onufry.
“Today, experiencing the dire straits in our history, we are grateful to you, dear diplomats, for the support and solidarity with our faithful people. In turn, on behalf of the clergy and the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, I pray for all the Orthodox peoples invoking the blessing of God, prosperity, and peace!” wished Metropolitan Onufry at the end.
Among diplomats were representatives of the embassies of Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Moldova, Russia, Romania and Serbia: - Stoyana Rusinova, the Counselor of the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Ukraine, Georgios Pukamissas, the Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic to Ukraine and his wife, Stole Zmeikoski, Ambassador of the Republic of Macedonia to Ukraine, Ruslan Bolbocan, the Ambassador of the Republic Moldova in Ukraine, O. P. Lukashik, the Charge d'Affaires of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, Kosmin Chiprian Zhurka, a representative of the Romanian Embassy in Ukraine, Rada Bulatovic, the Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to Ukraine.