Kiev; Novogrudok, Belarus, May 12, 2020
Photo: kdais.kiev.ua
While a number of hierarchs, clerics, monastics, and laymen are suffering from complications due to coronavirus infection, and sadly, many have reposed in recent weeks, there are also those who have fully recovered and have returned to their ministries.
Last week, OrthoChristian reported that 91-year-old Archpriest Vasily Lesko of the Belarusian Orthodox Church has fully recovered from his sickness.
In the Ukrainian Church, His Grace Bishop Sylvester of Belgorod, rector of the Kiev Theological Academy on the territory of the Kiev Caves Lavra, has fully recovered and resumed celebrating the Divine services, reports the Academy’s website.
Bp. Sylvester contracted the coronavirus in April, though thanks to a timely diagnosis and effective treatment, his sickness was quickly managed. Thus, on May 9, the 75th anniversary of the victory in WW2, Vladyka was able to serve a memorial service for those who died in the war.
The next day, he celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Academy’s Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. During the service, special petitions were read for the deliverance of Ukraine from the epidemic and for the health of doctors, and the names of the clergymen who have died from COVID-19 were commemorated.
Photo: eparhia.by
Meanwhile, in the Belarusian Church, His Eminence Archbishop Gury of Novogrudok, temporarily in self-isolation following treatment, was also able to serve a memorial service for those who gave their lives in WW2, as well as a moleben of thanksgiving for the victory 75 years ago, reports the site of the Novogrudok Diocese.
“Any sickness is a Divine visitation, and it should be received as His great mercy,” Abp. Gury said in April.
The next day, His Eminence was able to commune of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ. He also recently published a video in which he thanked all those who prayed for him and the brethren of the Zhirovichi Monastery, of which he is the abbot.
It was recently announced that the planned celebrations for the 550th anniversary of the discovery of the wonderworking Zhirovichi Icon of the Mother of God and the 500th anniversary of the founding of the Holy Dormition Monastery in Zhirovichi, originally set for May 19-20, have been postponed.
