Corfu, Greece, November 2, 2026
Photo: uoc-news.church
Hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church joined His Eminence Metropolitan Nektarios of Corfu of the Church of Greece on October 31 to open a monastic house and consecrate its house church in honor of the Venerable Fathers of the Kiev Caves.
The house stands near the basilica holding the relics of St. Spyridon of Tremythus. The event was timed to the 975th anniversary of the founding of the Kiev Caves Lavra, the UOC Information and Education Department reports.
Metropolitan Nektarios led the consecration service, joined by seven visiting hierarchs of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Metropolitan Nektarios is among the few Greek hierarchs who have taken an Orthodox stand against the schismatics of the “Orthodox Church of Ukraine” in favor of the canonical UOC under His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine.
The service was conducted in Greek, Church Slavonic, Ukrainian, and Romanian. The Byzantine Choir of the Metropolis of Corfu and the monastic choir of the Horodok St. Nicholas Convent sang.
Monastics from Ukraine, Greece, and Mt. Athos, and numerous pilgrims from Ukraine and other European countries were also present for the service.
Photo: uoc-news.church
The monastic house was opened at the request of Metropolitan Onuphry and Metropolitan Agafangel of Odessa and Izmail, with the blessing of Metropolitan Nektarios.
After the consecration, Metropolitan Nektarios said he grieves over the trials the UOC is undergoing.
“Our heart especially aches, as the heart of the Orthodox people, and also mine, a humble bishop of Corfu, because the sister Church of Ukraine is undergoing special trials from internal enemies, I would say, from temptation, from the devil, unfortunately, through schisms and disagreements among clergy and bishops that divide the people,” he said.
Metropolitan Nektarios said the island of Corfu always welcomes UOC clergy and faithful.
Speaking of the war, he said armed conflict between Orthodox peoples is “not from God, but from temptation.”
“We sincerely pray to the Lord God, and also at the holy relics of the hierarch and wonderworker Spyridon, that all wars on earth would calm down and cease,” he said.
The Greek hierarch then hosted a reception for participants at his residence.
Yesterday, Metropolitan Kliment of Nizhny of the UOC led the Divine Liturgy in the newly consecrated church, concelebrated by his fellow Ukrainian hierarchs.
Photo: uoc-news.church
Afterward, many Ukrainian pilgrims took part in the festive procession with the relics of St. Spyridon, which is traditionally held on Corfu on the first Sunday of November.
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