Primate: The Lavra must belong to the Church in which St. Anthony was

Primate of the UOC at the liturgy on the feast of St. Anthony of the Caves. Photo: news.church.ua

The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra should remain in the holy Orthodox Church, to which its founder, St. Anthony of the Caves, belonged. His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine stated this in his homily during the liturgy held in the Lavra on the feast day of the saint.

He spoke about how St. Anthony founded the Kiev Caves Monastery and noted that today the saint “prays for us sinners, especially for those who honor his memory, who came to this holy monastery, he prays that this monastery flourishes."

“In turn, we ask St. Anthony to pray to God that the Lord save the Lavra in our Church – in the Church to which the monk belonged,” said the Primate. “This monastery was founded by St. Anthony, and in truth – both human and God’s – it should belong to the UOC, to you, the faithful of this holy Orthodox Church.”

As the UOJ wrote, thousands of believers gathered for the Divine Liturgy on the feast of St. Anthony of the Caves, which His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry celebrated on the square in front of the Holy Cross Ascension Church of the Lavra.

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