Met. Onuphry addresses participants of the meeting of UOC chaplains
His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry noted that the chaplains of the UOC have to fulfill their obedience in very difficult conditions.
The Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, addressed the organizers and participants of the annual meeting of the military clergy of the UOC, reports the UOC Information and Education Department.
In his address, His Beatitude emphasized that “the unique experience gained by military chaplains in modern conditions requires a new analysis and reflection, because of the hostile rhetoric of the media and illegal actions of some authorities, those who continue to guide the military flock have to bear the cross of their ministries under moral and legal pressure. The importance of your present experience cannot be overemphasized. ”
At the same time, the Primate of the UOC expressed his "sincere gratitude to those who were on the front line under shelling and carried the word of Christ about peace and love to where every moment of life could be the last for someone".
Metropolitan Onuphry recalled that “love is, above all, the sacrifice that you, pious fathers and brothers, show for the sake of your neighbours and for the good of our Motherland”.
In addition, His Beatitude emphasized that "we still consider the spiritual and pastoral care of military personnel to be one of the priorities in the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church".
At the end of the address, the Primate of the UOC expressed his understanding of “the difficulties of chaplain ministry in today's conditions” and assured the chaplains of prayer support.
Metropolitan Onuphry also called on “our very first Representative before the Lord – the Most Holy Theotokos so that by Her prayers and intercession the Savior will send the long-awaited peace to our long-suffering Ukraine”.
Earlier, the UOJ wrote that from September 23 to 25, 2019, in the city of Ochakov (Nikolaev Eparchy), an annual conference on the topic "Actual issues of spiritual caring of military personnel in accordance with the latest changes in existing legislation and prospects for further cooperation with military units of Ukraine" was held.
