UOC Primate: There is no salvation without partaking of Christ’s Body and Blood

His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry. Photo: screenshot from a UOC video

On Great and Holy Thursday, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and addressed the faithful with a sermon on the meaning of the Mystery of the Eucharist, the UOC Information and Education Department reports.

The UOC Primate recalled that it was on this very day that the Church commemorates the institution of the first Divine Liturgy, emphasizing that from that time the Eucharist has been celebrated unceasingly in the Church.

In his sermon, the hierarch placed particular emphasis on the significance of Holy Communion.

“He who does not eat the Body of Christ and drink His Blood cannot be saved, because he cannot receive within himself the grace of eternal life,” His Beatitude said.

At the same time, he stressed the need for spiritual preparation for the Mystery through repentance and prayer: “A person cleanses his soul from sin and adorns it with good works, and then the Lord enters the human soul and fills it with His grace.”

Metropolitan Onuphry also called on the faithful to thank God for the gift of salvation and for the Church’s Mysteries.

In conclusion, the Primate reminded the faithful of the need to participate worthily in the Eucharist.

“May the Lord help us to be worthy partakers of the Holy Mysteries, so that we may meet the Resurrection of Christ on earth and become participants in the eternal Pascha in the Kingdom of Heaven,” he said.

As the UOJ previously reported, His Beatitude led the year’s final Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.

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