Ukrainian youth gather to pray for peace in their troubled land

Vinnytsia, Ukraine, March 28, 2018

Photo: foma.in.ua Photo: foma.in.ua
    

A joint reading of the Psalter by the Orthodox youth of Vinnytstia, in west-central Ukraine, for peace in their much-troubled land was held last Thursday, reports Foma in Ukraine.

This was already the fourth such youth reading for peace during Lent this year, and this is not the first year that the readings have been held in Vinnytsia. This time the youth gathered in the Church of St. Luke of Simferopol. After the prayer, a traditional tea party with a spiritual conversation was held, this time on the topic of the spiritual life of young people and social activity, the protection of the faith, and other related topics.

A similar reading took place earlier in the month at the Church of St. Nicholas in the town of Bar.

“In these days, when all Orthodox Christians are going through the period of Great Lent, our primate has blessed everyone to fervently pray that peace would come as soon as possible to our God-protected land,” said church rector Archpriest Vadim Lukashenko. “Such Psalter readings are held in many churches of the dioceses of the entire Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Thus, in prayerful, spiritual unity, we turn to the Lord to jointly entreat mercy for our Ukrainian people and for an end to the war,” Fr. Vadim added.

At the gathering, each of the faithful read one kathisma. After they finished, Fr. Vadim blessed all the participants.

Another Vinnytsia initiative for the youth is the celebration of a nighttime Liturgy, which took place the day before in the Church of Great Martyr Demetrios of Thessaloniki. Members of the city’s Orthodox youth organizations sang, served in the altar, and prayed during the service.

2018 has been declared Youth Year in the Diocese of Vinnytsia. As Metropolitan Simeon of Vinnytsia and Bar stated in January, “We plan to spend the coming year under the slogan ‘The Youth—to Christ.’ Young people are especially attentive and demanding in their choice of religious orientation, and it often depends on whether we give them an example of a Gospel-centered life.”

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3/28/2018

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