Thousands of believers celebrate Easter in Kiev-Pechersk Lavra
His Beatitude Metropoltian of Kiev and All Ukraine Onuphry shared the Holy Fire with all believers
On the Holiday of Passover of Christ in the monastery plenty of the flock of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church carried prayers in the Refectory Church of the Monks Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves.
On the eve of Easter Sunday, April 7 at 23.00 Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine Onuphry gave believers the Holy Fire having been delivered from Jerusalem, and then an Easter service began, the UOJ correspondent reports.
After the Easter midnight service, at 12:00, the Primate of the UOC, the clergy and believers had a festive procession with candles, symbolizing the transition from the darkness of paganism to the light of Christianity.
After the Liturgy and singing solemn chants "Christ is Risen from the dead, trampling down death by His death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life" Metropolitan Onuphry traditionally distributed Easter eggs among the faithful.
Orthodox Christians thus began to celebrate the bright holiday of Passover of Christ.
The Holy Fire from Jerusalem to Ukraine was delivered by the official delegation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church led by the Chancellor of the UOC Metropolitan Anthony of Borispol and Brovary on April 7, at 19 pm. The Fire was given to the clergy of the UOC.
The Holy Fire came down on April 7 in Jerusalem in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher at 14:16 by Kiev time.
Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilus III passed the Holy Fire to believers who lit bundles of 33 candles.
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