Patriarch of Serbia congratulates His Beatitude Onuphry on the namesake day

Patriarch Porfirije (Perić) of the Serbian Orthodox Church has congratulated the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine, on the day of his namesake, reports the Department for External Church Relations of the UOC.

In his congratulatory message, the Priamte of the SOC recalled the Monk Onuphrius the Great, who is the heavenly patron and prayer intercessor of His Beatitude. “The Monk Onuphrius, struggling with his flesh, adorned his soul with gifts of grace, becoming like the angels who ceaselessly glorify God in the highest! Knowing that he lived in the distant and harsh desert of asceticism for more than fifty years in fasting and prayer, we are amazed at his deeds and his words: Most of all I am satiated and drunk with the sweet words of God,” wrote Patriarch Porfirije.

He noted that he prays to the Monk Onuphrius the Great for strengthening the Primate of the UOC in spiritual fortitude and bodily health. “Bearing witness to the sacrifice of your archpastoral ministry, we pray to your heavenly patron Saint Onuphrius the Great to strengthen you in spiritual fortitude and bodily health for the joy of the pious clergy and faithful flock of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,” summed up the Serbian Patriarch.

As the UOJ reported, on June 25, 2021, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church celebrates the day of the namesake and the 50th anniversary of the monasticism of its Primate.