On Triumph of Orthodoxy Sunday His Beatitude Volodymyr celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Refectory Church of the Holy Dormition Kyiv Caves Monastery

On March 13 the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Refectory Church of the Holy Dormition Kyiv Caves Lavra.

Concelebrating to His Beatitude were deputy abbot of the monastery, His Eminence Pavel, Archbishop of Vyshgorod, rector of the Kyiv Theological Academy His Eminence Anthony, Archbishopof Boryspil, Secretary for the Primate of the UOC, His Eminence Alexander, Archbishop of Pereyaslav-Khmelnytskyy, His Grace Ilary, Bishop of Makariv, His Grace Panteleimon, Bishop of Vasylkiv.

At the Divine service the Primate marked a number of Lavra brethren and teachers of the Academy with ecclesiastical awards. Besides, for the work for the benefit of the Church and in connection with the 60th birthday anniversary His Beatitude Volodymyr conferred the Distinction of the UOC Primate on the former rector of the Kyiv Theological Schools archpriest Mykola Zabuga.

Also during the service Metropolitan Volodymyr ordained a clergymen of the Holy Dormition Convent deacon Vasil Savka to the holy priesthood.

On the first week of Lent the Church by tradition celebrates the Triumph of orthodoxy Sunday. Before the beginning of the divine a traditional prayer rite of the Triumph of Orthodoxy was performed. It includes pronouncement of Creed and of “Memory eternal” to all the defenders of Orthodoxy, pronouncement of “”Many years” to all the Primates of the canonical Orthodox Churches and raising prayers for the church. In particular, on that day all those are remembered who had firmed up the Orthodox faith for many centuries and all those performing now their ministry and feats for the sake of distribution of the faith of Christ.

The feast of the Triumph of the Orthodoxy symbolizes final victory over the heresy of iconoclasm. Its establishment is connected with the events of the Council of Constantinople of 843, which was convened by the right-believing empress Theodora in order to restore the veneration of icons in Byzantine.

As a remembrance of this event, important for the Christian world and in commemoration of empress Theodora, every year, on the first week of Lent the Orthodox Church solemnly commemorates restoration of the icon veneration. Addressing the flock with archpastoral word, His Beatitude spoke about the history and significance of the holiday.

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