Czech hierarch to UOC believers: Stand firm and know we are one in Christ

Archbishop Juraj of Michalovce and Košice

Archbishop Juraj of Michalovce and Košice, Archbishop of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, thanked His Beatitude Onufry, the Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, for the opportunity to serve in a holy place – the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. He said this on the Day of St. Theodosius the Great, after the Liturgy, concelebrated with Bishop Viktor of Baryshevka and Bishop Dionysius of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky in the Far Caves.

In his speech after the Divine service, Archbishop Juraj stressed: “Today we together took communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ and thus showed that we are one Church, that we are all one in Christ. I am very grateful to His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine and the vicar of the monastery Metropolitan Pavel of Vyshgorod and Chernobyl for the opportunity to serve in this holy place, and dear fellow hierarchs Bishop Viktor of Baryshevka and Bishop Dionysius of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky, because to concelebrate with you is a joy and a blessing." 

According to him, UOC believers are having a hard time now, but we are one in Christ. “Stand firm and know that Christ is among us,” the hierarch called on the faithful.

He also gave UOC believers the blessing of the Primate of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia Archbishop of Prešov, Metropolitan Rostislav of the Czech Lands and Slovakia. 

On January 24, Archbishop Juraj of Michalovce and Košice, in concelebration with Bishop Viktor of Baryshevka and Bishop Dionysius of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky, commemorated the great ascetic in the Church of St. Theodosius of the Kiev Caves in the Far Caves of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.

As the UOJ reported, earlier Archbishop of Prešov, Metropolitan Rostislav of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, said that he prayerfully supported the UOC led by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry and was very worried about the fraternal Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

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