Hundreds of faithful honor St. Kuksha in Odesa

The faithful in Odesa honored the memory of St. Kuksha. Photo: Odesa Eparchy

On the feast day of St. Kuksha the Wonderworker of Odesa, hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, clergy, and hundreds of pilgrims took part in the Divine Liturgy at the Dormition Monastery in Odesa, the Odesa Eparchy reports.

The festal service at the cathedral dedicated to the “Life-Giving Spring” Icon of the Mother of God was led by Metropolitan Agafangel of Odesa and Izmail.

Concelebrating with Metropolitan Agafangel were Metropolitan Pavel of Vyshhorod and Chornobyl, abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra; Metropolitan Clement of Nizhyn and Pryluky; Metropolitan Varsonofiy of Vinnytsia and Bar; Metropolitan Alexei of Voznesensk and Pervomaisk; Archbishop Diodor of Yuzhne; Archbishop Viktor of Artsyz, abbot of the monastery; Archbishop Sergiy of Bolhrad; Archbishop Sylvester of Bilohorodka, rector of the Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary; Bishop Alipiy of Tarutyne; Bishop Anastasiy of Ovidiopol; Bishop Panteleimon of Baturyn; and clergy of the Odesa Eparchy.

Hundreds of faithful and pilgrims also came to the monastery on the feast day of the great ascetic and confessor of the faith to honor the saint and pray together. During the service, the hierarchs, clergy, and laity offered fervent prayers for peace in Ukraine, for the military, for the entire Ukrainian people, and for all those in need of God’s help.

A particular spiritual joy for the worshippers was the opportunity to venerate the holy relics of St. Kuksha of Odesa, which were placed in the center of the church. Following the Liturgy, the clergy held a festal glorification before the reliquary containing the saint’s relics. 

After the service, a meal was provided for all parishioners and pilgrims, continuing the celebration in a warm, fraternal atmosphere.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that thousands of UOC believers took part in a religious procession to the Intercession Monastery in Marynivka.

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