The UOC Primate celebrates his birthday
His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy of Kiev and All Ukraine is 74 years today.
On November 5, the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy of Kiev and All Ukraine celebrates his birthday.
Orest Berezovsky (that was the name of the future Primate) was born in 1944 to the family of a priest from the village of Korytnoe, Chernovtsy region.
At the age of 17, he finished school and went to study at Chernovtsy technical college. He used to work in the construction organizations of the region and later entered Chernovtsy University. After three years of study at the university he entered Moscow Theological Seminary.
Two years before graduation, Orest joined the fraternity of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, and on 18 March 1971, he was tonsured with the name of Onufriy in honor of St. Onuphrius the Great.
The following year he graduated from the seminary and entered Moscow Theological Academy. In the same year he became a hieromonk.
On 28 June1985, the Primate-to-be was appointed dean of his native monastery, and at Christmas of the following year he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.
From 20 July 1988 to November 1990, he was an abbot of the Pochaev Lavra. He became a bishop on 9 December 1990 having been ordained by former Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine Filaret Denisenko, who subsequently initiated a schism and established the Kiev Patriarchate.
In 1992, Chernovtsy Bishop Onufriy spoke out against the non-canonical actions of the then Metropolitan Filaret. In response, Filaret deprived His Grace of his Chernovtsy Chair. However, the clergy and believers defended their pastor, and already in April, Bishop Onufriy was reinstated to his position.
In 1994, Vladyka was elevated to the rank of archbishop; in 2000 he became a metropolitan. On 13 August 2014, he was elected Primate of the UOC by secret ballot.
On 5 November 2018, the Abbot of the Trinity Jonah monastery congratulated His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine on Facebook, "Your Beatitude, Abba, happy birthday!"
Political expert Elena Dyachenko also made a congratulatory publication: "Today is a bithday of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy. Many happy returns!"
The UOC parishioners also published their congratulatory messages.
For example, Inna Mashinskaya made the following post: “Today, we are happy to congratulate our Primate, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Onufriy, on his birthday! His Beatitude said that the priest’s best sermon is an example of his life in the service of God and people. Thank you, Vladyka, for your sermon!!! One can talk a lot, but one can just look at your ministry and understand the truth. In these difficult times, when the storm is around, you like a rock stand confidently and immovably. And we are all happy to find shelter behind you. Wishing you many years of life!!! ".
A parishioner of the Holy Trinity Monastery of St. Jonah not only congratulated the Primate, but also shared his memories of personal contact with him: “Today is the birthday of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy. Now it depends largely on him how we will pass a terrible storm that threatens our church ship. May God give him strength, wisdom and fortitude in such an uneasy ministry! Once I had an opportunity to talk with him for more than an hour. I still have the warmest and happiest memories of this conversation. How happy I was then that we have such a Primate! Therefore, I speak from the bottom of my heart: His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy is our real treasure. We need to thank God that he sends us people like Vladyka Onufriy. May the Lord protect him from all evil and enemies visible and invisible!”
Victor Belsky also congratulated His Beatitude Onufriy: “November 5 is a birthday of the Primate of the UOC, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy. Dear Vladyka, we sincerely wish you a happy birthday!!! May the omnipotent hand of God accompany you in difficult service for the benefit of the Church of Christ, sanctifying and blessing every day and every moment of your life in health and in all well-being! Many years of life to you! Εἰς πολλὰ ἔτη, δέσποτα! ”.
Victor Chernyshev, professor of theology at Kiev Theological Academy and Seminary, called the birthday celebrant a “symbol of church unity and perseverance for the purity of the Orthodox faith”: “November 5 is a birthday of the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. And although, according to the monastic tradition, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry does not celebrate birthdays, all of us, the children of our Church, heartily congratulate him on this day and thank God for having such a wise Primate who in difficult times is a symbol of the church unity and perseverance for the purity of the Orthodox faith. Many years of life!
The Primate was congratulated not only in social networks. The hierarchs of Dnepropetrovsk eparchy sent a congratulatory letter to the birthday celebrant: “Your Beatitude, Blessed Vladyka and dear Father! Please accept our sincere congratulations on the occasion of your birthday! We prayerfully wish you good health, long life and blessed success in your arduous First Hierarch service for the benefit of the Holy Ukrainian Orthodox Church. May the grace of God never leave you in your primatial ministry. With all our heart we wish you many blessed years of life and service. We ask humbly for your holy prayers and primatial blessing."
