Kiev, May 6, 2019
Photo: news.church.ua
His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, the spiritual father of the Ukrainian nation, continued his blessed tradition this Pascha of visiting the more vulnerable members of his flock to share the joy of the feast.
On Pascha day, Met. Onuphry met with children who have functional limitations and their parents at the Kiev Theological Academy on the territory of the Kiev Caves Lavra, reports the site of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The meeting was prepared by the Kiev city center for social services for families, children, and youth of the Kiev city administration and with the support of the primate’s charity foundation “Peace to You.” His Beatitude greeted and congratulated the children, their parents, and the center’s volunteers with the feast of the holy Resurrection of Christ.
“Our Jesus Christ came to earth because He loves us very much and He wants to help us so we would be happy, joyous, so we would live on earth in peace, so we would be good to one another,” the Ukrainian archpastor said, explaining that Christ took on our human nature and defeated sin to make this possible for us.
“I wish that the light, joy, and grace that the Lord brought to earth by His Resurrection would be always be with us, fill us, and give us strength to overcome all the difficulties that we meet on the path of our earthly life,” Met. Onuphry said in conclusion.
He also blessed the children’s Pascha baskets and distributed gifts to them all.
Photo: news.church.ua
His Beatitude’s visitations continued yesterday with an appearance at the “Hope, Faith, and Love” medical rehabilitation center located on the territory of the Holy Ascension Monastery-Bancheny where he had celebrated the Sunday Divine Liturgy, reports the site of the Ukrainian Church.
He then traveled to the nearby village of Molnitsa to visit the orphans being taken care of by the monastery there. His Beatitude was accompanied by His Eminence Metropolitan Melety of Chernivtsi and Bukovina, the monastery abbot His Grace Bishop Longin of Bancheny, His Grace Bishop Eusebius of Shepetovka and Slavuta, and His Grace Bishop Benjamin of Khotyn.
The children sang Paschal hymns for their beloved guest.
Photo: news.church.ua
Met. Onuphry congratulated the children and their teachers with the bright Resurrection of Christ, giving each a Paschal gift and his primatial blessing.
The Ukrainian primate’s visits to children’s homes have become traditional for him, as he visits children who require special attention several times a year. His Beatitude visited the children at their home in January for Nativity, last April for Pascha and last January for the Feast of the Nativity. Last July he met with orphans who have lost their parents in the conflict in Donbass.
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