In Khmelnytskyi, over 1,000 UOC believers meet Zimnenska Icon of Theotokos
On 23 November 2024, over 1,000 believers from the Khmelnytsky Eparchy of the UOC gathered at the St. Nicholas Cathedral in Khmelnytskyi to welcome the Zymnenska Icon of the Mother of God.
The icon arrived at the cathedral ahead of the All-Night Vigil, which was celebrated by four hierarchs: Metropolitan Alexy of Voznesensk and Pervomaysk, Metropolitan Viktor of Khmelnytskyi and Starokonstiantyniv, Archbishop Oleksandr of Horodnytsia, and Archbishop Sylvester of Bilohorodka.
The hierarchs were concelebrated by the secretary of the Kyiv Eparchy for the city of Kyiv, Archpriest Viktor Ivashchuk, the сleric of the eparchy, Archimandrite Pakhomiy (Didyk), the secretary of the eparchy, Archpriest Oleksandr Rybchynsky, the abbot of the Cross Exaltation Monastery in the town of Starokostiantyniv, Archimandrite Joasaph (Horkavchuk), the rectors of churches in Khmelnytskyi, other clergy of the eparchy and guests in clerical rank.
Also praying during the service were the abbess of the Convents of the Zymnenska Icon of the Mother of God, Abbess Stefana (Bandura) with her sisters, the abbess of the Transfiguration Holovchyntsi Convent, Abbess Liubov (Pikhur) with her sisters, and the abbess of the Convent of the "Life-giving Spring" Icon, Abbess Elizabeth (Vavriychuk).
After the polyeleos, Metropolitan Viktor addressed the believers with a sermon and congratulated the gathered faithful on the feast.
The solemn service was accompanied by hymns sung by the episcopal choir under the direction of Oleksandra Khrynchak and the choir of the clergy of the Khmelnytskyi Eparchy, led by the dean of the Derazhnia district, Archpriest Georgiy Cherniatynsky.
According to the eparchy’s press service, the faithful can pray before the icon of the Mother of God around the clock (subject to curfew) until 27 November.
