Odessa, Ukraine, October 1, 2019
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St. Kuksha of Odessa is a beloved 20th-century saint of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church who labored in asceticism on the Holy Mountain, in the Holy Land, in the Kiev Caves Lavra, the Pochaev Lavra, and elsewhere in Ukraine. He was canonized by the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Church in 1995.
He is commemorated on the day of his repose, December 11/24, and the day of the uncovering of his relics, September 16/29.
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This year, the Ukrainian Church festively celebrated the 25th anniversary of his glorification and the 195th anniversary of the founding of the Holy Dormition Monastery in Odessa where his holy relics repose with a Divine Liturgy celebrated by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, reports the Information-Education Department of the Ukrainian Church.
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The feast began the night before with All-Night Vigil at the monastery, with a litiya led by His Eminence Metropolitan Arseny of Svyatogorsk, the abbot of the Holy Dormition-Svyatogorsk Lavra.
Before the Liturgy, the beloved primate was greeted at the gates of the monastery by hierarchs, clergy, residents of the monastery, and thousands of faithful who arrived for the feast.
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Met. Onuphry was concelebrated in the Divine Liturgy by 17 other hierarchs of the Ukrainian Church, including the local hierarch, His Eminence Metropolitan Agafangel of Odessa and Izmail, and various local and visiting clergy.
During the Small Entrance, His Grace Bishop Viktor of Artsyz was raised to the dignity of archbishop, and liturgical awards were presented to clergy of the Odessa Diocese.
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Following the Divine Liturgy, Met. Onuphry and the hierarchs and clergy led a procession with the relics of St. Kuksha. His Beatitude also consecrated a new church at the monastery in honor of St. Matrona of Moscow.
After the service Met. Agafangel thanked Met. Onuphry for his prayerful presence and gifted him relics of St. Kuksha.
Speaking of the merits of St. Kuksha, His Beatitude emphasized that the saints not only pray for us to God, but they continue to be an example of how we should live on earth.
“There is no separation between the two. There are no nationalities, there is no division by skin color, by other human qualities and merits. There all are one in Christ,” the holy metropolitan preached.
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“Today we talk a lot about unity. We talk about the unity of Ukraine. We talk about the unity of the world, because Ukraine is not the only place where peace and unity are needed—the whole world needs it. And people are trying to unite themselves on human principles, laws, and common interests. But unity is right and lasting only when it is based on Christ. When all unite around Christ, then this unity no one can destroy; this unity crosses over with man into eternity,” Met. Onuphry continued.
His Beatitude then met with the wards of the orphanage for children with hearing impairments, blessing them and presenting each with a gift.
Read about the life of St. Kuksha in our article, “St. Kuksha of Odessa, Holy Elder and Confessor of Our Times.”
