His Beatitude urges believers to preserve the purity of Orthodoxy

His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry. Photo: news.church.ua

On March 24, 2024, on the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry explained how the correct understanding of the teachings and dogmas of the Church influences a person's life. The video of the sermon was published by the Information and Education Department of the UOC.

His Beatitude spoke about the history of Christianity, about the periods of persecution and renaissance, the times of the emergence of heresies and their condemnation by the Ecumenical Councils.

He pointed out that the Orthodox faith was affirmed by holy people who lived in prayer, fasting, and obedience to the Divine commandments.

"In the fasting prayer, people recognized God, united themselves with God, and affirmed the holy Orthodox faith, proving that it is correct—not just by teachings, philosophy, but by their life," Metropolitan Onuphry noted.

"On this day, we offer prayers of thanksgiving to the Lord for the triumph of faith," said the First Hierarch. "People far from God say, 'What difference does it make what the Savior was like? Was He consubstantial with the Father or of similar substance?' They are concerned with obtaining blessings from God for earthly well-being. But for a person living in the Church, it does make a difference. Incorrect teaching about God deprives man of the opportunity to meet God, to unite with Him, and to become an heir to the Kingdom of Heaven."

The Primate wished to "preserve the purity of the Holy Orthodox faith and to be Christians not only in name but in life," in order to "experience the truth of their faith on their own."

As reported earlier, the Primate led the rite of the Triumph of Orthodoxy in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

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