Svyatogorsk, Ukraine, October 11, 2021
Photo: news.church.ua
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church festively celebrated the 30th anniversary of its Donetsk Diocese and of the episcopal consecration of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Donetsk and Mairupol yesterday at the Holy Dormition-Svyatogorsk Lavra.
The Divine Liturgy was presided over by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, who was joined by more than 30 other bishops, including Met. Hilarion and many other Ukrainian hierarchs, His Eminence Archbishop Paisjusz of Przemyśl and Gorlice of the Polish Orthodox Church, and His Eminence Archbishop Peter of Ungheni and Nisporeni of the Moldovan Orthodox Church, reports the Information-Education Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Before the service, His Beatitude was festively greeted at the gates of the Lavra, and he blessed a new monument to his predecessor, His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir.
At the Small Entrance, Met. Onuphry awarded Met. Hilarion the right to present the cross during the Divine services in honor of his 30 years of episcopal ministry. Following the Gospel, the Ukrainian primate offered a homily on the miraculous catch of fish on Lake Gennesaret.
Following the service, the Polish hierarch Abp. Paisjusz offered a speech, assuring Met. Onuphry and the entire Ukrainian Church that the Polish Church supports them in the fight against Constantinople’s anti-canonical activity and the schismatic “Orthodox Church of Ukraine.”
Photo: news.church.ua
“We’re always with you,” Abp. Paisjusz said. “You are ours. We always try to support you in word and prayers.”
He then presented Met. Hilarion of Donetsk with the Order of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene, the highest award of the Polish Orthodox Church. He also gave him an episcopal Panagia from His Beatitude Metropolitan Sawa of Poland and a copy of the wonderworking Lesna Icon of the Mother of God from His Eminence Archbishop Abel of Lublin and Chełm.
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