On Great Thursday Primate of UOC raises prayers for prisoners of war

On April 13, on Holy and Great Thursday, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine led the Divine Liturgy at the Refectory Church of St. Anthony and Theodosius of the Holy Dormition of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, reports the Information and Education Department of the UOC.

After reading the Holy Gospel, the Primate addressed the flock with the word of the sermon. His Beatitude reminded believers of the evangelical events that are remembered on Holy Thursday, explained the necessity of humility in spiritual life and the importance of the Sacrament of the Eucharist: "We receive the Body of Christ and drink His Blood, because it is the pledge, the leaven for eternity".

The archpastor especially prayed for the Ukrainian military, who are in captivity.

During the Liturgy, a special prayer was offered for peace in Ukraine.

On Holy Thursday, the Church recalls several important events from the life of our Savior: the Last Supper, in which the Lord established the Sacrament of the Eucharist and washed the disciples' feet, giving us an example of humility and love for others, the prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane and the treacherous kiss of Judas by which he gave the Divine Teacher to suffering and death.

Read also

DESS: The number of communities joining OCU in 2024 is half of last year’s

Over a year, 232 communities of the UOC changed their jurisdiction.

Scale of internal damage to UOC cathedral in Zaporizhzhia shown online

The video allows viewers to assess the damage endured by the main Orthodox church of the UOC in Zaporizhzhia.

Ex-MP UOC protodeacon Novinsky declared suspicion of high treason

The former MP is accused of "ensuring that a significant part of Ukrainian society, who are believers of the UOC, remain under the direct influence of the leader of the ROC".

St Andrew’s icon survives under the rubble of UOC cathedral in Zaporizhzhia

The icon was painted by nuns of the St Nicholas Monastery in Patras (Greece) and consecrated on the relics of St Andrew the Apostle.

RF missile strike destroys St Andrew's Cathedral of UOC in Zaporizhzhia

The fragments damaged the roof of the building, dome, ceilings, cut windows and disfigured classrooms.

Media shows conditions in which persecuted communities of Volyn have to pray

After their churches were seized, UOC faithful are compelled to pray in poorly equipped facilities.