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
Over 1,100 catechumens in U.S. preparing to receive baptism at Easter
A large number of people in the Midwest Diocese of the Orthodox Church in America are preparing to join the Church this year.
His Beatitude tonsures four Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra brethren
The Primate of the UOC performed monastic tonsure and gave names to the new monks in honor of the Venerable Fathers of the Caves.
Number of Buddhists worldwide falls by 19 million over 10 years
East Asia has seen the sharpest decline in the number of Buddhists amid an aging population and large-scale disaffiliation in adulthood.
UOC publishes akathist to English king-saint for the first time
The Synodal Commission has published texts in honor of ancient saints of Europe that were approved by the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Georgian Patriarch placed in medically induced coma and put on ventilation
Patriarch Ilia II has been placed in a medically induced coma, as doctors continue intensive treatment and hold consultations on his condition.
Court upholds eviction of UOC community from Kniazhychi monastery
Ukraine’s highest court has effectively legalized the local authorities’ decision to hand the Transfiguration Monastery over for use by the OCU.