Kiev, August 31, 2020
news.church.ua
On Saturday, August 29, the Synodal Department for Social and Humanitarian Issues of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, held its annual Backpack of Mercy charity event, in which more than 70 children from needy families received backpacks filled with school supplies for the upcoming school year.
His Grace Bishop Sylvester of Belgorod, the rector of the Kiev Theological Seminary and Academy, also celebrated a moleben before the beginning of the academic year for students and their parents in front of the Academy’s Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, reports the Information-Education Department of the Ukrainian Church.
Studying requires a lot of effort, and a lot of resources, Bp. Sylvester noted. Thus, with the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, the children were given gifts useful for their education.
“May the Lord help you in your studies!” His Grace said. “Always remember that as much work and effort you put into your school education, so much you will receive in the future, when you become adults.”
After the moleben, Bp. Sylvester sprinkled all those present with Holy Water and distributed the backpacks to the needy children from large families, displaced families, and families with disabled children.
It is also noted that another 20 children will receive assistance from the Church next week.
