His Beatitude: Our life must become a preparation for eternity

His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry. Photo: UOC

On April 5, 2026, on the feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, addressed the faithful with a sermon on the meaning of the feast and man’s preparation for eternal life.

“Today the Holy Church recalls the event of the entry of our Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem,” His Beatitude said, noting that this day concludes Great Lent and precedes Holy Week. He also recalled that before this, Christ performed the greatest miracle – He raised Lazarus, who had lain in the tomb for four days.

“The Lord came after Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days and raised him from the dead,” the Primate stressed, adding that this miracle became known to many and drew people to Christ.

Speaking about the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, His Beatitude said: “Having conquered death, the Savior entered Jerusalem not on a chariot, but on a humble donkey.” According to him, Christ thereby gives an example of humility and teaches man not to exalt himself even for good deeds, because “we can do nothing without God.”

He also recalled the words of the Gospel: “If these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out,” noting that even today “the stones speak” of the fleeting nature of earthly life. “Earthly life ends sooner or later, and man passes into eternity,” His Beatitude said.

“While caring for earthly things, we must care even more for our soul and for eternal life... Good deeds must be done by everyone – the sick and the healthy, the learned and the simple alike,” the Primate stressed, calling on the faithful to prepare themselves for blessed eternity in Christ.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that His Beatitude had celebrated the services of the week dedicated to Mary of Egypt at the Lavra.

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