Metropolitan Onuphry leads Christmas Eve service

The Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine, on the Eve of the Nativity of Christ, led the Divine Liturgy at the Church of Saints Antony and Theodosius of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, reports the UOC Information and Educational Department.

The Primate of the UOC was concelebrated by Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary, Archbishop Panteleimon of Bucha, Bishop Laurus of Irpen, Bishop Mark of Borodianka and the clergy of the monastery.

“Today the Holy Church speaks very beautifully about who brought what as a gift to the newborn Saviour: Heaven brought the star as a gift, angels – singing, magi – gifts, shepherds – miracles, the earth – a manger, the desert - a crib, and we, earthborn people, brought as a gift the Most Holy Virgin, through whom God was born. May each of us bear our own gifts – prayer, humility, repentance, which are gifts that strengthen a person on their life path and make us participants in the eternal life that the Saviour returned to humanity through His Incarnation,” wished Metropolitan Onuphry.

During the service, special prayers were offered for an end to the epidemic, for patients with coronavirus and doctors who are struggling with the disease.

Two consecrations were also made: Deacon Alexander Mochulsky, serving at the Transfiguration of the Lord Church in Vyrlitsa, Kyiv, was ordained a priest, and the monk Parfeny (Marinich), a first-year student at the Kyiv Theological Academy, was ordained a deacon.