Kiev, April 27, 2021
Photo: news.church.ua
Every year, on April 26, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church prayerfully commemorates the victims of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Thus, yesterday morning, a panikhida was served at the Soldiers of Chernobyl monument on the territory of the Church of the Archangel Michael in Kiev.
The memorial service was celebrated with the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine by His Grace Bishop Viktor of Baryshevka together with the clergy of the church and the local dean, reports the Information-Education Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
After the service, at 1:23 AM (the time when the No. 4 reactor at Chernobyl exploded), the memorial bell rung was struck 35 times.
Bp. Viktor called on all the keep the memory of the victims and always offer prayers for those who laid down their lives working in the aftermath of the disaster.
Photo: news.church.ua
At 8:00 AM, bells rung out in all churches and monasteries of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in memory of those who died in the accident or its aftermath.
Prayers were also offered for the “repose of the souls of the deceased servants of God—the firefighters, rescuers, soldiers and all who died from the Chernobyl catastrophe” in churches and monasteries throughout Belarus.
His Eminence Metropolitan Benjamin of Minsk, the Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, also took part in a ceremony of the laying of flowers at a memorial in honor of the Chernobyl victims in Minsk.
In Moscow, His Eminence Metropolitan Dionysiy of Voskresensk, the Chancellor of the Russian Orthodox Church, laid flowers at the monument to Chernobyl victims in Victory Park.
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