Sviatogorsk Lavra celebrates the Holy Mountain Saints Day
On September 24, 2022, a festive liturgy in honor of the Synaxis of Saints of the Holy Mountain was held in the Holy Dormition Sviatogorsk Lavra, the press service of the Donetsk Eparchy reports.
According to the diocese, this was the first festive service in 2022, held in a gathering of pilgrims from among the clergy and laity. Prior to this, it was not possible to get to the monastery, rightfully called the Pearl of Donbas.
The current year is a jubilee for the Sviatogorsk Lavra – monastic life was resumed here 30 years ago.
The Divine Liturgy on the Commemoration Day of the Lavra Saints was officiated by Metropolitan Arseniy of Sviatogorsk, the Abbot of the Sviatogorsk Lavra, in concelebration with Bishop Paisiy of Konstantynivka, Bishop Innokentiy (Shestopal), the vicar of the Horlivka diocese, Archpriest Ioan Ustymenko, the rector of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kramatorsk city, as well as the clergy of the Lavra in holy orders and other clergymen.
Metropolitan Hilarion of Donetsk and Mariupol conveyed congratulations to His Eminence Metropolitan Arseniy, monastics and pilgrims.
“Your Eminence, dear Vladyka Arseniy! I am immensely glad that you have gathered pilgrims for prayer! I would like to sincerely congratulate you on the feast of the Synaxis of our Reverend Fathers, who shone in the Holy Mountains on the Donets. May the All-Merciful Lord strengthen you and us through their prayers! Unfortunately, I do not have the opportunity to share with you the joy of joint worship and communion, but I ask your holy prayers at the relics of the Saints so that the Lord sends His blessing and peace to our long-suffering land. May the Mother of God wipe away the tears of all those who jointly offer their prayers today, who magnify the name of the Holy Trinity and glorify the memory of our Venerable Fathers of Sviatogorsk. Congratulations to all of you, my dears!” said Metropolitan Hilarion.
The monastics and laity listened to the words of congratulations from Metropolitan Hilarion with bated breath and were not ashamed of crying.
The Lavra’s abbot expressed the hope that the time would come when Metropolitan Hilarion would address everyone, standing on the pulpit of the Holy Dormition Cathedral in the oldest monastery in the Donetsk region, the Sviatogorsk Lavra.
As the UOJ previously reported, ex-MP Bryhynets called for the transfer of the "liberated" Sviatogorsk Lavra to the OCU.
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