Lavra celebrates festive services on Palm Sunday
The service of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra was led by the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Photo: UOC
On April 28, 2024, Palm Sunday, festive divine liturgies were held at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem was celebrated, and several divine liturgies took place at the Lavra's churches. The liturgy at the Church of St. Agapitus of the Caves was led by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry; services were also held at the Churches of St. Sergius of Radonezh and "Joy of All Who Sorrow", lavra.ua. website reports.
At the Church of St. Agapitus of the Caves, hundreds of believers prayed together with His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry. However, the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh, which is accessible to laypeople, couldn't accommodate all the worshippers, so some received communion outdoors.
The early Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow" was led by the guardian of the nearby caves, Archimandrite Ioann. Following the Gospel reading, Metropolitan Onuphry addressed the Lavra parishioners and numerous pilgrims with a sermon, recounting the Gospel story of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem. He wished, "May the Lord help us, dear brothers and sisters, to humble ourselves before God, to each other, to be grateful to God, and then Divine grace will help us overcome all earthly difficulties and be worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven!"
During the service, fervent prayers were offered for peace in Ukraine and for the unity of the Orthodox Church. Metropolitan Onuphry ordained a student of the Kyiv Theological Academy to the diaconate.
Parishioners and numerous pilgrims who came to the Lavra for the celebration of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem received Holy Communion.
At the conclusion of the services, the clergy blessed willow branches, and all the worshippers were sprinkled with holy water.
The Primate of the UOC thanked the clergy, parishioners, and pilgrims for their prayers, congratulated everyone on Palm Sunday, and called for God's blessing upon the flock.
The night before, His Beatitude led the Vespers with the festive Litya in the same Lavra church.
As reported by the UOJ, on Lazarus Saturday, His Beatitude led the liturgy at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
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