In Sumy, Met Yevlogy officiates funeral of deceased military priest of UOC

Metropolitan Yevlogy of Sumy and Akhtyrka conducting the funeral service for protodeacon Oleksiy Kuznetsov. Photo: Sumy Eparchy

On Bright Saturday, April 26, 2025, at the Trinity Cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Sumy, Metropolitan Yevlogy of Sumy and Akhtyrka celebrated the Divine Liturgy and the funeral service for the newly departed Protodeacon Oleksiy Kuznetsov as reported by the press service of the Sumy Eparchy.

The metropolitan was concelebrated by more than thirty clergymen from the Sumy and Romny eparchies.

Father Oleksiy served at the Holy Cross Church in Sumy and was also a military chaplain and psychologist for the 252nd separate battalion of territorial defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“On April 24, 2025, on the Sumy front, while saving the lives of his comrades, he heroically perished, remaining faithful to his pastoral duty – to be with people in the most difficult moments of their lives,” the message states.

Before the funeral service, Metropolitan Yevlogy, in his eulogy, “lovingly remembered the deceased pastor, his zealous service to God and people, uniting the sorrow of earthly loss with the bright hope for the victory of Life over death, granted by the Risen Christ”.

Family, friends, colleagues, parishioners, and numerous believers gathered to bid farewell to Protodeacon Oleksiy.

After the funeral service, the body of the newly departed was buried with military honors at the Alley of Glory in the city cemetery of Sumy.

“May the Lord grant rest to the soul of the departed in places of light, in places of blooming, where there is no pain, nor sorrow, nor sighing, but there is endless life. Eternal memory to the newly departed protodeacon Oleksiy!” the Sumy Eparchy wrote.

As reported by the UOJ, a military chaplain of the Sumy Eparchy of the UOC was killed on the front line. Father Oleksiy was married and raised two children.

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