UOC clergy guide military men within their eparchies

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church carries on her active pastoral and feasible material care and guidance over the Ukrainian military, according to the UOC Information and Education Department.

On January 20, upon the blessing of Metropolitan Anthony of Borispol and Brovary, clerics of Baryshev deanery of Borispol eparchy visited a local military unit of the National Guard. Priests, led by Archpriest Lubomir Biliak, conducted a moleben service for fighters and got familiar with an off-duty life of military men.

After the moleben the Archpriest addressed the attendees with a follow-up speech and sprinkled with holy water. Besides, the Archpriest transferred the funds, raised by the clergy for the needs of servicemen.

The aid to Ukrainian soldiers was also provided by clerics of Ratnov district of the UOC Vladimir-Volynsk eparchy. Over the holiday time parishes of the local deanery collected foodstuffs and essentials to be dispatched to the ATO zone for the military’s needs. The humanitarian cargo was transferred by the priests to volunteers, who delivered it to the east of Ukraine.

On January 19, on Theophany holiday, upon the blessing of Metropolitan Onufry of Kharkov and Bogodukhov, there was Great Blessing of the Waters in Kharkov Military-Medical Clinical Center. A festive worship was conducted by protopriest Oleg Kucher.

The priest visited all wards of the clinic. He congratulated military doctors, servicemen and veterans of the Armed Forces, who are receiving medical treatment, on Theophany and wished them strength and soon recovery, having aspersed everybody.

The Great Blessing of the Water took place also for the military of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Severodonetsk. Upon the blessing of Archbishop Nikodim of Severodonetsk and Starobelsk, their premises were visited not for the first time by hieromonk Meletiy (Shapovalov). After the blessing ceremony he sprinkled the military and their lodgings with holy water, his key wishes being those of peace and good health: “This is the biggest value we are now asking our God for. Take care of yourselves, help your neighbor and try to act by the law of God in everything you do.”

Several days before, on January 16, chairman of the Department for Pastoral Guidance of the Armed Forces of Ukraine of the UOC Vinnitsa eparchy Sergey Kovtun paid a visit to the service men of the military unit А2287, located in Vinnitsa city.

The priest congratulated officers and soldiers on the holidays, conducted a moleben service and blessed for an academic year of 2017.