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
Bill banning LGBT and childfree propaganda adopted in Belarus
A bill in the Belarusian parliament provides for administrative liability for propaganda of homosexuality and childlessness.
In women's monastery of Holovchyntsi village, monastic tonsure performed
In the Khmelnytskyi Eparchy, two nuns were tonsured into the lesser schema.
Finnish MP urges EU to repeal law banning criticism of LGBT
Päivi Räsänen stated that the "hate speech" law in Europe serves as a means for censorship.
Displaced children from Dnipro baptized at orphanage in Mukachevo
A priest of the Mukachevo Eparchy of the UOC performed the baptism of children from the "Barvinok" orphanage.
During Holy Week, Catholics celebrate Mass at Holy Sepulchre without believers
The RCC bishop, who was previously barred by police from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, was nevertheless allowed to conduct a service there on Thursday.
UGCC calls murder of TRC employee "particularly grave sin"
UGCC cleric Yustin Boyko emphasized that hatred against TRC employees is being artificially incited on social media.