His Beatitude – to UOC Congress of Monasticism: Church is society in Christ
According to Metropolitan Onuphry, monks must testify to people the necessity to build their lives on the Commandments of God.
On July 15, 2021, the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, in his address to the Congress of Monasticism of the UOC recalled that the Church is a brotherhood in Christ.
In his address to the participants of the Congress of monastics of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is held in the Holy Dormition Pochaev Lavra, His Beatitude said that he was particularly happy about the revival and strengthening of monasticism.
“Monastic life is a path to achieving spiritual perfection. Blessed is the person who chooses this path for himself, because God gives special grace to everyone who enters the path of monastic life,” the Primate emphasized.
He recalled that the profound meaning of monasticism was conceived and manifested by the ancient venerable fathers, whose heirs the modern monks aspire to be.
“The seed of our exploit lies in the renunciation of the amenities of this world, of its passions and lusts, and of the sinful fall in relation to ourselves,” His Beatitude wrote.
Quoting the words of the Holy Scriptures that “the kingdom of heaven has been treated violently, and violent men take it by force” (Matthew 11:12), Metropolitan Onuphry recalled that “it is through his labors that a monk is rewarded with the grace of the Holy Spirit and becomes an heir of the kingdom of heaven.” In addition, "prayer, humility and repentance are the main qualities to make the person that has acquired the Angelic image a real monk."
“A monk learns from his own experience that the Church is not just a religious organization or some ordinary human institution, but a brotherhood in Christ, the Body of Christ, a gathering of the ‘scattered children of God’ (see John 11:52). This ecclesiological experience gives the monk the opportunity to perceive the monastic brethren as his family in Christ, fulfilling his obedience with dignity and joy,” the Archpastor emphasized.
His Beatitude wrote that in modern conditions, when the norms of public morality are gradually decreasing, "monks must testify to people the necessity to build their lives on the Commandments of God, which are written in the Holy Gospel, and according to which our pious predecessors lived."
He recalled that the linchpin of monastic life is worship, "and it is through embracing worhsip, through prayer in the church and in his cell that a monk feels the presence of God in his heart."
“Monasteries have always been a place where the feat of prayer took place. They are still schools of prayer and a kind of standard of life, to which the people of God should strive,” the Primate of the UOC pointed out.
According to him, the Congress of Monastics is "an opportunity for everyone to come together again to enjoy inteaction, find solutions to the issues relevant to monasticism in modern times and share experiences with one other."
“The world looks at each of us who are present here in a special way, offering many temptations. We look different in the eyes of different people: strange or interesting. We are judged by the wise and unwise, by the old and young – all this encourages us not only to inner solitude and hourly perfection, but also to the viable preaching of Christ,” said Metropolitan Onuphry.
At the end of his address, the Primate of the UOC invoked the blessing of God on all participants of the monastic forum in order to "be granted wisdom and inspiration to make correct conclusions and decisions for the consolidation of each aspect of monastic life and further fruitful fulfillment of its salvific mission in Ukraine.
Earlier, the UOJ wrote that a Congress of Monasticism of the UOC commenced its work at the Pochayiv Lavra.
