12 bishops celebrate the festive liturgy in UOC Cathedral in Cherkasy
At the end of the Liturgy, a solemn cross procession around the cathedral and a prayer service to the Holy Martyr Macarius of Kaniv were held.
On September 20, a festive service was held in Cherkasy in honor of the feast day of Holy Martyr Macarius of Kaniv, Archimandrite of Ovruch, Abbot of Pinsk, and Wonderworker of Pereyaslav. According to the press service of the Cherkasy Eparchy of the UOC, archpastors, numerous clergy, and Orthodox believers gathered at the Archangel Michael Cathedral for the celebration.
It was noted that the memory of the saint has been prayerfully commemorated for many years.
"Through his fervent prayer to God, Holy Martyr Macarius continues to gather many people at his incorrupt relics this year. The people of Cherkasy and all the faithful of the Church do not forget their spiritual father, just as he never ceases to spiritually support each of them during difficult trials," the message states.
The Divine Liturgy at the cathedral in Cherkasy was led by Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy and Kaniv. He was concelebrated by Metropolitan Bogolep of Oleksandriya and Svitlovodsk, Archbishop Alexander of Horodnytsia, Vicar of the Kyiv Diocese, Archbishop Ioann of Zolotonosha, Vicar of the Cherkasy Eparchy, Archbishop Veniamin of Novosanzhary, Vicar of the Poltava Eparchy, Archbishop Kassian of Ivankiv, Vicar of the Kyiv Eparchy, Archbishop Sergiy of Ladyzhyn, Vicar of the Tulchyn Eparchy, Bishop Athanasius of Kamin-Kashyrsk, Vicar of the Volyn Eparchy, Bishop Cyril of Byshiv, Vicar of the Kyiv Eparchy, Bishop Anthony of Korsun-Shevchenkivsk, Vicar of the Cherkasy Eparchy, Bishop Ioann of Izium and Kupiansk, and Bishop Clement of Borovsk, Vicar of the Kyiv Eparchy.
The archpastors were joined by clergy from the Cherkasy Eparchy and guest clergy. Abbesses of covents of the diocese and the sisters of the Cherkasy Martha-Mary Mercy Sisterhood also prayed at the service.
During the Liturgy, a special prayer was offered for the Church, which is enduring persecution.
After the reading of the Gospel, Metropolitan Theodosiy spoke about the life and spiritual feat of Holy Martyr Macarius, as well as the challenges faced by the Orthodox Church in the 17th century, a time of confession for the faithful.
At the end of the Liturgy, a solemn cross procession was held around the cathedral, followed by a prayer service to Holy Martyr Macarius of Kaniv.
After the joint prayer, Metropolitan Theodosiy thanked the bishops and clergy for their participation in the festive services and wished them to bring the strengthening blessing of Holy Martyr Macarius to their dioceses.
All the faithful were given pieces of the vestments of the heavenly patron of Cherkasy.
As previously reported by the Cherkasy Eparchy, in the village of Tynky in the Cherkasy region, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church community celebrated their patronal feast outdoors.