His Beatitude tonsures fourth-year KDAiS students as readers

Tonsure of KDAiS students as readers. Photo: KDAiS press service

On March 15, 2026, the Third Sunday of Great Lent – the Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross – His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry led the solemn divine service in the Academic Church of St. John of Damascus, the press service of the Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary reports. Before the Divine Liturgy, the Primate of the UOC and the rector, Archbishop Sylvester, performed the rite of tonsure as readers for students of the graduating fourth class of the Kyiv Theological Seminary.

During the Liturgy, the Primate also performed two ordinations: Archdeacon Viktor (Denisov), a student of the KDA correspondence department, was ordained to the rank of hieromonk, while Monk Ambrosiy (Nebronchuk), a second-year KDA student, was ordained hierodeacon. The archpastor was concelebrated by an assembly of UOC hierarchs. During the service, petitions were offered for peace on Ukrainian soil, as well as for God’s help for those left without shelter. The sermon before Communion was delivered by Academy lecturer Archimandrite German (Kovach).

The tonsure as reader – the first rank of the Orthodox clergy and the lowest degree of church service – is traditionally performed in the Kyiv theological schools precisely on the third Sunday of Great Lent. Those who receive this ministry are charged with reading the liturgical texts and Holy Scripture in church. After the rite, the newly instituted readers approached the Mystery of Holy Communion.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that the Venerable Fathers saw the light of Tabor in the caves of the Lavra, His Beatitude said.

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