Kiev, December 9, 2022
His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine celebrates the 32nd anniversary of his consecration to the episcopate today. In 1990, he became the Bishop of Chernivtsi and Bukovina.
The celebration began last night with the All-Night Vigil in the Church of Sts. Anthony and Theodosius at the Holy Dormition-Kiev Caves Lavra, reports the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The Ukrainian primate was concelebrated by a host of UOC hierarchs, including the abbot of the Lavra, His Eminence Metropolitan Pavel of Vyshgorod and Chernobyl.
This morning, His Beatitude headed the Divine Liturgy at the Lavra, again joined by a number of other UOC hierarchs.
Prayers for peace, for deliverance from the enemy, and for mercy for the suffering people were offered during the service.
After the dismissal, “Many Years” were sung for the beloved Ukrainian primate, and a congratulatory speech from the Holy Synod was read out.
His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas, the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, sent greetings to Met. Onuphry on the occasion:
With deep emotion and pain, following the events on the territory of Ukraine: the military conflict, the repressions of the truly Orthodox and the sufferings of the “peaceful lands” (Ps. 34:20), i.e. simple people, I, a sinner, and all the archpastors, pastors, monastics, and faithful children of the Russian Church Abroad who are with me, prayerfully extend a hand of support and love to you, placing all our trust in God, Who spoke peace to His people (Ps. 84:9). May this peace of God rule in the hearts of men, and may those who love the Law of God have great peace (Ps. 118:165)!
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