UOC Primate officiates Liturgy of the Lord's Cross Procession Feast in Lavra
His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Photo: UOC
On the Feast of the Procession of the Precious Wood of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord and the Commemoration of the Holy Maccabean Martyrs, August 14, 2025, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Agapitus Church of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, the UOC Information and Education Department reports.
Concelebrating with the Primate were Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary, Chancellor of the UOC, Bishop Lavr of Irpin, Bishop Mark of Borodianka, and the monastery clergy.
After the reading of the Holy Gospel, His Beatitude, in his homily, called on the faithful to follow the example of the ancient martyrs in striving for holiness through the keeping of the divine commandments.
During the service, prayers were offered for peace in the Ukrainian land, for deliverance from the enemy, and for God’s blessing upon people of goodwill who help those in need. The Primate asked the Lord to show mercy to the Ukrainian people, to grant wisdom to the authorities, courage to the soldiers, freedom to captives, healing to the sick, and shelter to those deprived of their homes.
Following the Liturgy, clergy and faithful venerated the Precious Cross.
Metropolitan Onuphry blessed honey and herbs and sprinkled the parishioners and pilgrims of the Lavra with holy water.
As the UOJ has reported, churches today hold special services with the bringing out of the Cross for the veneration of the faithful. Traditionally, during the water-blessing service on this day, honey and herbs are blessed.
Read also
OCU activist admits breaking into UOC church in Sloviansk
Oleksandr Onyshchenko said that the OCU held its first "service" at the Seraphim Church, which had previously been broken into by forcing the locks and doors.
Archimandrite Ioustinos, longtime keeper of Jacob's Well, dies in Jordan
Archimandrite Ioustinos (Mamallos), the keeper of Jacob's Well in Nablus, has died after a prolonged illness.
Pilgrim group from Kyiv Theological Seminary visits Mount Athos
KTS students are making a pilgrimage to the holy sites of Romania, Greece, Mount Athos and Italy.
UOC cathedral celebrates its patronal feast in Ternopil
The service in the cathedral of the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sophia was led by Metropolitan Serhii of Ternopil, concelebrated by four hierarchs.
MinCulture marks centenary of Soviet-era reserve at Lavra's Refectory Church
Representatives of the Ministry of Culture presented awards to the Reserve's employees on the occasion of the anniversary at the Refectory Church of the Lavra.
Conference to mark 1700th anniversary of Christianity adoption held in Georgia
In Georgia, representatives of the Church and the state noted the defining role of Christianity in the country's cultural development.