Kiev, December 25, 2023
Photo: news.church.ua
Even as Orthodox churches are being seized and destroyed in the war, the people of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church have maintained their faith and continue to build new places of worship.
Yesterday, December 24, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine celebrated the Divine Liturgy and consecrated the altar of the Church of Sts. Adrian and Natalia in the Lisovy Masiv neighborhood in northeastern Kiev, reports the Information-Education Department of the UOC.
Photo: news.church.ua
The Ukrainian primate was concelebrated by five hierarchs and local and visiting clergy.
At the Small Entrance, Met. Onuphry awarded the rector, Archpriest Roman Matiushenko, with the right to wear a second pectoral cross.
Preaching on the Gospel reading of the parable of the Great Supper, His Beatitude explained:
Photo: news.church.ua
The Great Supper is a spiritual feast that the Son of God arranged for mankind through His Incarnation. God came to earth, took upon Himself our human sins, crucified them in Christ, freed us from the devil, and opened the doors of Paradise for us, returning us to it. Paradise is a spiritual feast where a person enjoys feelings such as joy, peace, bliss, happiness. And the Lord calls people there.
During the Liturgy, prayers were offered for peace in Ukraine.
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