On 27 March 2016, the 2nd Sunday of the Lent, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (Patriarchate of Moscow) celebrated the synaxis of All Venerable Saints of Pechersk Lavra. On this occasion, His Beatitude Onufrie, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the church dedicated to Saints Pious Anthony and Theodosius within Pecerska Lavra – the official website of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine informs.
His Beatitude concelebrated together with His Eminence Pavel, Metropolitan of Vyshhorod and Chernobyl, Superior of Pecerska Lavra, His Eminence Anthony, Metropolitan of Boryspil and Brovary, His Eminence Ambrozius, Metropolitan of Cernigov and Novgorod-Seversky, other hierarchs, as well as clergy of the lavra.
The history of the Orthodox theology shows us that Saint Gregory Palamas was a follower of the tradition of Saints Anthony’s and Theodosius’ prayer, founders of the Russian monasticism. The pious monks of Pecerska were, in their turn, disciples of the Athonite hermits, who guided Saint Hierarch Gregory after several centuries. Therefore, today, the Church draws our attention to the prayer experience of the Holy Fathers and calls us to practice it”, His Beatitude Onufrie said.
After the reading of the Gospel text, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufrie delivered a sermon for the faithful present in large number at the Divine Liturgy, in which he referred to the teachings of Saint Gregory Palamas, to the divine energy and the light of Tabor, as well as to today’s monastic asceticism.
Prayers for peace in Ukraine were offered during the Divine Liturgy.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Onufrie celebrated an intercession prayer (moleben) dedicated to the saints pious from Pecerska, and congratulated the hierarchs and employees of the monastery on the occasion of its patronal feast. His Beatitude blessed all those present and wished them all to spend Lent – for the prayers of all the monks of Pecerska – with spiritual strength, strong prayers and determinations.
Source: news.church.ua
