Priests of UOC concelebrate with Met. Joanikije at the first liturgy in Bar

On June 4, 2021, on the feast day of the holy Martyr John-Vladimir, Prince of Serbia, the priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church concelebrated the newly elected head of the Montenegrin-Littoral Metropolis of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Joanikije, at the first Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of John-Vladimir in the city of Bar (Montenegro).

"The Cathedral church of St. John Vladimir in Bar today solemnly celebrated the memory of St. Prince John Vladimir, the heavenly patron of the city at Mount Rumia," said the press service of the Montenegrin-Littoral Metropolis of the SOC. “The Divine Liturgy was officiated by Bishop Joanikije of Budimlyansk-Nikshichi, the elected Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, with the concelbration of a large number of the clergy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the Montenegrin-Littoral Metropolis, the Rashko-Prizren and Budimlyansk-Niksichi dioceses.”

According to the UOJ, Archpriest Alexander Klimenko (Boryspil diocese) and Archpriest Alexy Rukavitsa (Mogilev-Podolsk diocese) took part in the festive divine service. More than twenty pilgrims from Ukraine prayed together with the priests of the UOC in the Cathedral of St. John-Vladimir. The trip to Montenegro was organized by the Pilgrimage Center of the UOC.

Archpriest Alexander Klimenko posted photos and videos of the service on his Facebook page.

“Everything here makes feel at home, very homish. It’s like having all your relatives around,” the priest wrote.

He also published a video of the Communion from the hands of Metropolitan Joanikije.

"There were a lot of us in the altar today!" - emphasized father Alexander.

As the UOJ reported, on June 2, the newly elected head of the Montenegrin-Littoral Metropolitanate arrived in Podgorica, where he was encountered by thousands of believers.