Kursk-Root Icon Arrives to Kyiv
Ukrainian Orthodox Church
On May 13 the greatest shrine of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad – the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God “The Sign” arrived to Kyiv.
The Icon of the Theotokos was delivered to the capital of Ukraine by the delegations of the Russian Church Abroad, led by Archbishop Mark of Berlin and All Germany and that of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church led by deputy chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the UOC Bishop Alexander of Pereyaslav-Khmelnytskyy.
At the construction site of Resurrection Cathedral of the UOC the wonderworking Icon was welcomed by the UOC Primate His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr, the First Hierarch of the ROCA Metropolitan Hilarion of East America, Archbishop Metrophanes of Bila Tserkva and Bohuslav, Archbishop Pavel of Vyshhorod, Archbishop Anthony of Boryspil, Bishops Seraphim of Yahotyn and Bishop Panteleimon of Vasylkiv, clergymen of the Diocese of Kyiv and God-loving flock.
Then in a sacred procession from the construction site the shrine was delivered to the square in front of the wooden Church of All Saints.
Here at the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos His Beatitude metropolitan performed a prayer service.
Before the beginning of the Divine service His Beatitude Volodymyr addressed those present with archpastoral word.
“The Mother of God came today to this holy place, blessed for the construction of the Cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church dedicated to the Resurrection of Her beloved Son. We believe that the Mother of God is always with us and today She blesses us, bows Her head unto Her Son, praying for our salvation. May the mercy of the Holy Virgin, her incessant prayer and intercession help all of us, may the Lord bless our churches and our holy and God-preserved Church, and all people living in it through the prayers of His Mother”, he said in particular.
Following the prayer service the icon of the Mother of God was carried to the Church of All Saints, where it was prayerfully venerated by His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr and concelebrating hierarchs.
The Kursk-Root Icon will remain at the Church of All Saints from May 13 through 22.
