OCU marks 975th anniversary of Lavra's foundation with Athos monks
Abbot of New Esphigmenou Archimandrite Bartholomew and Epifaniy Dumenko. Photo: a screenshot from the OCU livestream
In Kyiv, the OCU held celebrations marking the 975th anniversary of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra's foundation, with the participation of monks from New Esphigmenou, reports the National Reserve on Facebook.
The festive events took place on July 9 and 10, 2026, and were dedicated to the commemoration of St. Anthony of the Caves. The Divine Liturgy was led by Archimandrite Bartholomew, abbot of New Esphigmenou.
The choir, led by Archon Protopsaltis of the Ecumenical Patriarchate Gregory Daravanoglou, performed hymns in the Byzantine tradition. The celebrations were attended by DESS officials, government representatives, and military chaplains.
The National Reserve noted that "the participation of the Athonite brotherhood in the jubilee celebrations underscored the spiritual connection between Kyiv and Athos."
As the UOJ reported, the OCU arranged a visit of monks from Athos’ New Esphigmenou to the Lavra.
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