Synod of Ukrainian Orthodox Church сanonizes Blessed John Pokhodenchyk

Icon of Saint John Pokhodenchyk. Photo: @stebliniko

On October 23, 2024, during a session of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, a decision was made to canonize John Pokhodenchyk (†1943). This was announced on his YouTube channel by Metropolitan Boholep of Oleksandriya and Svitlovodsk.

The Metropolitan shared that he recently received an excerpt from Journal 31 of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, stating that, following the decision of the Commission on the Canonization of Saints under the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Blessed John Pokhodenchyk was canonized.

It was also decided to approve the iconography of the saint’s image and the proposed projects for the troparion and kontakion. The remains of Blessed John, the Fool-for-Christ, are to be considered holy relics. The commemoration of the new saint will take place on November 25 in the new calendar.

"I wanted to share this joy with you and announce that the Holy Synod has made this historic decision, in which we are all involved," said Metropolitan Boholep.

The hierarch invited the faithful to participate in the veneration of Blessed Saint John.

The hierarch also reported that the Synod approved liturgical texts for services dedicated to Hieromartyr Nicholas Iskrovsky, which had been previously approved by the UOC Liturgical Commission.

As the UOJ previously reported, on July 30, the Commission on the Canonization of Saints under the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church held a session to consider the canonization of four ascetics.

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