Cross procession to Derman Monastery takes place in Rivne Eparchy

On September 13, 2025, on the feast day of Saint Hierotheos of Ostroh in the Rivne Eparchy of the UOC, a solemn procession, organized by the youth department of the Zdolbuniv Deanery, was held.

About 500 pilgrims, led by Metropolitan Pimen, set out from the crossroads of the villages of Mizoch, Ozirko, and Derman with banners and the holy cross, heading towards the Holy Trinity Derman Women's Monastery, the place where the saint labored and rested. Along the way, they read the Akathist, prayed for peace in Ukraine, the end of the war, and the speedy return of Ukrainian soldiers home.

Saint Hierotheos (in the world Yakov Fedorovich Lobachevsky) was canonized as a locally venerated saint of the Rivne Eparchy by the decision of the Holy Synod of the UOC on August 17, 2021.

The bishop was an outstanding scholar, intellectual, and polyglot. In 1829, he was appointed abbot of the Derman Monastery, and in 1845 he was consecrated as Bishop of Ostroh. For 27 years, he served for the benefit of the Church, showing Christian love to the clergy and the flock. The saint contributed much to the restoration and beautification of the Derman Monastery after a fire. With a developed taste for architecture and landscaping, he managed to preserve the ancient style of the buildings and arrange the premises according to modern technologies. He passed away on April 17, 1871, in the Derman Monastery.

Saint Hierotheos exemplifies the harmonious combination of spiritual life and scientific research, showing that serving God does not contradict the pursuit of understanding the world. His life and work serve as an inspiration for contemporary believers, especially for the youth who organized this procession.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that a multi-thousand procession with the relics of Gabriel of Bialystok took place in Khust.

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