UOC priest: The Lord protects those who do not fear and fight for God's truth

Believers at the prayer standing near the Lavra. Photo: screenshot t.me/save_Lavra

On November 25, 2025, during a prayer standing at the walls of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a priest of the UOC addressed the faithful with a word about the spiritual feat of Saint Theodore the Studite and its current significance for modern times.

The priest recalled that Venerable Theodore the Studite, born at the end of the 8th century into a pious family in Constantinople, became one of the main defenders of Orthodoxy during the times of the iconoclastic heresy.

This heresy raged for more than a hundred years and affected not only the veneration of icons but also the sign of the cross, monasticism, church traditions, and the way of spiritual life.

Having received an excellent education – both secular and theological – Theodore actively engaged in the struggle for the purity of faith. At the advice of his monk uncle, he took monastic vows and then holy orders. He had to oppose even emperors, as many heresies of that time were supported by the authorities.

Despite persecutions, prisons, beatings, and hunger, Saint Theodore lived a long life, remaining an unwavering defender of Orthodox teaching.

He left a vast spiritual legacy: church hymns, canons, prayers, and the famous Studite Rule, which still influences the life of Orthodox monasteries.

"The Church triumphed thanks to God's help, the prayers, and the labors of such ascetics as Venerable Theodore the Studite," the priest emphasized.

He noted that the experience of the saint is extremely relevant today, as believers also face challenges that require firmness of spirit and fidelity to God.

"The Lord protects those who do not fear and stand for God's truth. Venerable Theodore now stands before the Heavenly Throne and prays for us. Therefore, we must not be afraid, not be confused, and remember: if we are with God – who is against us?" said the priest.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that in Britain, the stolen royal gates from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra will be displayed.

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