On 28 October 2023, on the 170th anniversary of the blessed repose of St Theophilus of Kyiv, a fool for Christ, a Divine Liturgy was celebrated in his small homeland, in the village of Makhnivka, Khmilnyk district, Vinnytsia region.
The service was led by Metropolitan Symeon of Vinnytsia and Bar, concelebrated by the clergy of the Koziatyn Deanery, led by Dean Archpriest Valery Kushnir, the Rector of the church, Priest Vladimir Bilyk, Dean of the Koziatyn Deanery of the Vinnytsia-Tulchyn Diocese, Archpriest Roman Masira, and representatives of the clergy from Vinnytsia.
During the Liturgy, prayers were offered for Ukraine and the victory of the Ukrainian army, as well as a memorial service for the fallen defenders of Ukraine and civilians who died during the war.
At the Small Entrance, Metropolitan Symeon, with the blessing of the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv and All Ukraine, ordained the Rector of the Church of St Luke the Apostle in Mykhailyn, Priest Oleksiy Yakubivsky, to the rank of Archpriest.
Immediately after the Liturgy, a prayer service was held to St Theophilus of Kyiv in front of the icon with a part of his holy relics, which was brought to the church for the celebrations.
At the end of the celebration, Metropolitan Symeon addressed the parishioners with a sermon in which he recalled the main events in the life of the saintly resident of Makhnovka and spoke about the significance of his spiritual deeds, for which St Theophilus was glorified by the Church and canonised.
On behalf of the parishioners, the Rector of the church, Priest Volodymyr, thanked the Archpastor for his visit and joint prayer.
Press service of the Diocese of Vinnytsia and Bar of the UOC (OCU)
