Met Onuphry: Through the Ascension, the Lord raised our nature to heaven

His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphrius. Photo: UOC

On May 21, 2026, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Ascension Church in Kyiv. On the day of the church’s patronal feast and the commemoration of Apostle John the Theologian, hierarchs and clergy of the UOC concelebrated with the Primate.

The archpastor offered prayers for peace on Ukrainian soil and asked God to show mercy to the people. His Beatitude prayed that the Lord would grant wisdom to the authorities, strengthen soldiers with courage, free captives, and heal the sick.

During the Liturgy, Metropolitan Onuphry ordained Hierodeacon Iliodor (Polyakov), a second-year master’s student at the Kyiv Theological Academy, to the rank of hieromonk.

In his sermon, the archpastor explained the spiritual meaning of the feast of the Ascension of the Lord. The Primate noted that God took on human nature in order to sanctify it, cleanse it, and raise it to heaven.

“In His Ascension, the Lord raised our human nature to heaven and seated it at the right hand of the heavenly God and Father,” His Beatitude Onuphry emphasized.

His Beatitude explained that believers now have special protection against the forces of evil.

“Human nature is in heaven, seated beside God, and no one can forcibly tear a person away and destroy him unless we ourselves choose to give ourselves over to the devil,” the Primate noted.

Metropolitan Onuphry also drew the faithful’s attention to Christ’s presence in the Church. According to him, the Savior remains with people as the God-Man and, through communion in the Holy Mysteries, makes them worthy to receive the gift of eternal life.

The Primate called on his flock to labor in prayer, do good works, and bear with one another for the salvation of the soul.

As reported by the UOJ, the Primate of the UOC explained why humility makes a person strong.

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