Kiev, September 12, 2023
Photo: news.church.ua
The faculty and students of the Kiev Theological Seminary and Academy kicked off the new academic year yesterday—the first at their new location after the Ukrainian government expelled them from their traditional home at the Kiev Caves Lavra.
The day began with the Divine Liturgy at the Goloseevsky Monastery, which has allocated space for classrooms, dorms for students, and a church specifically for Academy use. The service was presided over by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, reports the Information-Education Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Photo: news.church.ua
The Ukrainian primate was joined by a number of brother bishops, including His Eminence Archbishop Sylvester of Belogorod, the rector of the theological schools, and His Grace Bishop Isaac of Vorzel, abbot of Goloseevsky Monastery.
Prayers for peace in Ukraine and for the Lord to have mercy upon the suffering were offered during the Liturgy, and Met. Onuphry ordained an Academy student to the diaconate.
At the end of the service, His Beatitude addressed his flock with a word of instruction, noting that although the schools have changed location, their job remains the same—to teach young people about the Law of God and how to correctly understand the revelation of the Lord.
Photo: news.church.ua
He wished the teachers “patience, wisdom, and the ability to find the way to the heart of every student,” and for the students to be humble, patient, hardworking, and obedient, “because there is great power obedience.”
“Through obedience, God sent His Only-Begotten Son; He came into the world in obedience to the Heavenly Father and accomplished the greatest work—the salvation of mankind.”
Then the hierarchs and clergy served a moleben for the beginning of the academic year, and Met. Onuphry blessed the teachers and students with holy water.
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