Thousands of believers come to Pochaiv Lavra to pray to the Mother of God

The main cathedral of the Pochaiv Lavra, 20 April 2024. Photo: a Facebook video screenshot

On 20 April 2024, the day of the Praise of the Most Holy Theotokos, the UOC hierarchs performed festive services at the Dormition Lavra of Pochaiv. Thousands of believers traditionally came to venerate the Mother of God in the holy monastery. The video of the divine services was published on the Lavra's Facebok page.

On the feast day, the Divine Liturgy was led by Metropolitan Sergiy of Ternopil and Kremenets. He was concelebrated by Metropolitan Volodymyr of Pochaiv, Metropolitan Nathanael of Volyn and Lutsk, Rector of Pochaiv Theological Seminary Archbishop Job of Shumsk, Bishop Athanasiy of Kamin-Kashyrskyi and numerous high-ranked guests.

As can be seen in the video, the churches of the monastery are overcrowded.

During the Liturgy, prayers were offered for peace in the Ukrainian land, for deliverance from the enemy, for the Lord to protect those who are in despair and have lost their homes and to bless people who help the needy.

Prayers were also raised for all fallen Ukrainian soldiers, civilians innocently killed during the war and for all deceased Orthodox Christians.

On Saturday in the fifth week of Great Lent, the Holy Church solemnly proclaims the prayerful singing of the Akathist Hymn to the Most Holy Theotokos. It is believed that the Akathist to the Theotokos appeared after the year 626, when Constantinople was besieged by the Persians. During the siege, the people sought refuge in God's temples, day and night entreating the Most Holy Intercessor to save their city, and Patriarch Sergius carried the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos on the city walls. After the miraculous salvation of the city, this hymn was composed, glorifying the Mother of God: "To you, O Champion Leader, we your servants dedicate a feast of victory and thanksgiving, as those rescued from sufferings, O Theotokos; but since you possess invincible might, free us from all dangers that we may cry to you: ‘Rejoice, unwedded Bride.’”

As reported, His Beatitude led a special service with Akathist to Our Lady in Feofania.

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