Kiev, March 7, 2018
Photo: spzh.news His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine received at his residence on the territory of the Kiev Caves Lara the sisters of the Martha-Maria Monastery which is being created in Kiev who will carry out the obedience of caring for the sick and infirm, reports the site of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The Grand Duchess and New Martyr Elizabeth Feodorovna opened the Martha-Maria Monastery in Moscow in 1908, where they also cared for sick, wounded, and maimed soldiers, and cared for the poor and orphans. The monastery was fully shut down by soviet authorities in 1928. St. Elizabeth was canonized by the Moscow Patriarchate in 1992, and Divine services were resumed in the Church of Martha and Mary in the same year, with the sisterhood being reestablished in 1994.
After caring for the sick for a certain period of time, the girls and women of the monastery will be able to take monastic vows.
The primate of the Ukrainian Church offered his blessing for the creation of the community and appointed a priest to care for the new community.
His Beatitude wished the sisters patience and humility in their service to their fellow man, and reminded them of the Venerable Anthony and Theodosius of the Kiev Caves, who also did many good deeds of mercy in service to their neighbors. He also offered them spiritual instructions and blessed the sisters for their God-pleasing deeds.
