His Beatitude Onuphry blesses special prayer rule for Great Lent

His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry. Photo: UOC

On the eve of Great Lent in 2025, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine, in his annual message, blessed the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to observe a special prayer rule for peace in Ukraine, the UOC Information and Education Department reported.

His Beatitude noted that for the fourth year we begin the Lenten journey of transforming our souls under the conditions of war.

“Let us strive, dear brothers and sisters, to make this Lent a time of mercy and compassion: to wipe the tears of those who weep, to console the sorrowful, to cover with love all who are in need. Then the evil that has shrouded our Homeland in clouds of darkness will surely be scattered by the sun of victorious divine justice,” he said.

Metropolitan Onuphry reminded the faithful that every year the clergy and believers of the UOC undertook special prayer rules, and he blessed a new spiritual labor for this year’s Fast.

“During the Holy and Great Lent it is blessed to read one chapter of Holy Scripture daily and to make seven prostrations with the Lord’s Prayer for peace in Ukraine. For a more complete spiritual understanding, we bless the reading during the Fast of the Gospel of John, the three Catholic Epistles of the Holy Apostle John the Theologian, and the Apocalypse (Revelation) of Saint John the Theologian,” the message states.

As the UOJ reported, the Primate of the UOC has blessed the faithful for Great Lent.

Read also

TRC abducts cleric of Bancheny Monastery but releases him after believers' rally

Hundreds of believers gathered at the gates of the TRC in Chernivtsi. Military commissars released the abducted archimandrite of the Bancheny Monastery.

Persecuted UOC parishes in Bukovyna celebrate Sunday of Myrrh-Bearing Women

UOC communities deprived of their churches held services for the feast of the Myrrh-Bearing Women.

UOC donates equipment worth UAH 200,000 to Okhmatdyt

The Odesa Eparchy of the UOC has completed a large-scale campaign to raise funds for young patients’ needs, the UOC Information Center reports.

Pope prays with Anglican female bishop, calls Christians to unity

Leo XIV received Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally at the Vatican and said divisions must be overcome.

OCU spokesman: St. Nicholas did not take part in First Ecumenical Council

Zoria called the participation of St. Nicholas of Myra in the Council of Nicaea a product of later perception – saying the saint was “definitely not there.”

Hungary nationalizes UGCC monastery and hands it over to local Uniates

Hungarian authorities nationalized the UGCC monastery in Máriapócs and transferred it to a Hungarian Greek Catholic structure, evicting the Basilians.