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.

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