Updates From Ukrainian Orthodox Church

11/8/2011

ANNOUNCEMENT. Honorable relics of the Holy Hierarch Theophanes (Vyshensky) the Recluse to visit Kyiv

On August 6, with the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kyiv the honorable relics of St. Theophanes (Vyshensky) the Recluse. On the territory of the Near Caves of Lavra the shrine of Vishensky was solemnly welcomed by the brethren and parishioners of the monastery.

Within the program of preliminary celebration of the 200th anniversary of birth of the great theologian and ascetic – St. Theophanes (Vyshensky) the Recluse, which is to be celebrated in 2015, the cross processions were organized along the sites of the life journey of St. Theophanes. The ark with a piece of the relics of St. Theophanes the Recluse and the Miraculous Icon of Our Lady of Kazan (Vyshenska) were carried from the Holy Dormition Vyshensky Monastery to the Kyiv Caves Monastery.

Staying of the holy relics of Saint Theophanes the Recluse at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra is particularly important because the life of the saint, and in particular his formation as a priest took place in the walls of this ancient monastery. In 1841 at the Dormition Cathedral of the Monastery the future hierarch was ordained a deacon and later a priest and for the rest of his life he had a deep and strong impression of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

For two weeks in the Church of Exaltation of the Holy Cross of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra everyone will be able to venerate the parts of the holy relics and pray onto the wonderworking image of the Theotokos.

BILA TSERKVA. Metropolitan Pavel of Vyshgorod and Chernobyl conducted the liturgy on the occasion of dedication day of the city Cathedral

On August 1, commemoration of St. Seraphim of Sarov the Wonderworker, on the occasion of the second dedication day of the Savior Transfiguration Cathedral the divine liturgy was celebrated.

The festive services were conducted by the Most Reverend Pavel, Metropolitan of Vyshgorod and Chernobyl, in concelebration of the ruling hierarch, archbishop Metrophanes of Bila Tserkva and Bohuslav, Vicar Bishop of the Diocese of Bila Tserkva and Rokytne, His Grace Nicodemus, Secretary of the Kyiv Metropolis Archpriest Vitaly Kosovsky, deans of the diocese, the cathedral clergy and monks of St. Seraphim’s monastery.

During the Lesser Entrance, secretary of the Kyiv Metropolis archpriest Vitaly Kosovsky read an extract from the journal of the Holy Synod of the UOC, on the opening of the monastery in honor of St. Seraphim of Sarov the Wonderworker in Bila Tserkva and the appointment of Archbishop Metrophanes of Bila Tserkva and Bohuslav to the office of the monastery superior. After that the prayer for installment in the rank of hegumen was said.

After the Divine Liturgy the sacred procession around the cathedral was held, following which Metropolitan Pavel conveyed greetings by His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kyiv and All Ukraine and offered an icon of Annunciation to the community as a present.

TV –program “World of Orthodoxy” is no longer an official television project of the UOC, but the Ukrainian Orthodox Church still lists it as recommended media

Answering the numerous requests of journalists concerning for the destiny of the official television news program of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church “World of Orthodoxy”, head of the Synodal Information Department of the UOC archpriest George Kovalenko said: “Today TV-program “World of Orthodoxy” broadcast by TV-channel Glass “is no longer an official news program of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, but one of the projects of the TV channel “Glas”. At the same time, both the TV-channel “Glas” as such remains on the list of media recommended by the Synodal Information Department of the UOC.

With the blessing of the hierarchy Archpriest Andriy Tkachov is working on the project. We hope that it will become more dynamic and diverse, being devoid of the official status.

As for the destiny of the official church news on television, the decision will be made before the new television season in September.

Chairman of the Synodal Department of the UOC for Pastoral Care of the soldiers-internationalists Bishop Theodosius of Brovary performed a service for the soldiers of Airborne Troops

August 2, the commemoration of St Elias the Prophet of God, is also the Day of the Airborne Troops. On this day, Vicar of the Kyiv Metropolis Bishop Theodosius of Brovary, Chairman of the Synodal Department of the UOC for Pastoral Care of the soldiers-internationalists, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at Resurrection (Afghan) Church of Kyiv, where he is a rector.

Concelebrating to him was superior to St. Paphnutius Borovsk Monastery Archimandrite Seraphim (Savost’yanov), the church clergymen.

During the worship service His Grace Theodosius ordained to the holy priesthood for the needs of Brovary Vicariate a student of correspondence department of the Kyiv Theological Academy Deacon Basil Polunin.

After the Divine Liturgy at the monument to soldiers of Afganistan the Bishop performed the memorial service for officers and soldiers who died in battle during the Great Patriotic War and in Afghanistan and other local military operations abroad. The veterans of Airborne Troops also came to honor the memory of deceased soldiers and pray for their repose.

At the end of worship Bishop Theodosius welcomed those who prayed on commemoration of St Elias the prophet of God and for the Airborne Troops. He wished the veterans strength of mental and physical health, long life and called all those present to follow God’s Prophet Elias in his strong faith, courage and life-affirming hope in God.

REFERENCE. The history of airborne troops dates back to 2 August 1930, when the Air Forces’ maneuvers in Voronezh when a unit of paratroopers consisting of 12 people was dropped y parachute. This experiment allowed the military theorists see the future benefits of such paraborne units.

Already at the beginning of WWII the landing forces consisted of five airborne corps totaling 50 thousand people. All of them participated in the fighting against invaders in Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia. The paratroopers played an important role in the fighting at Stalingrad. The deserts of paratrooper soldiers in WWII were highly estimated, thousands of soldiers and officers were awarded military orders and medals, nearly three hundred people were conferred on the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union.

In 1979 the units of Airborne forces landed at airfields in Afghanistan, where they performed their tasks. One fifth of the total number of all “linear” battalions of troops in Afghanistan were airborne and naval assault-battalions. They performed their duty honorably.

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