On July 7, 2023, on the feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist, His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv and All Ukraine, during his archpastoral visit to the Drohobych-Sambir Diocese, visited the city of Drohobych. This is reported by the official website of the OCU.
His Beatitude performed the consecration of the Altar and the monastery temple in honor of the Nativity of John the Baptist, and also led the first Divine Liturgy in it.
The Primate of the local Ukrainian Orthodox Church was concelebrated by Metropolitan Symeon of Vinnytsia and Bar, Metropolitan Dymytrii of Lviv and Sokal, Metropolitan Mykhailo of Lutsk and Volyn, Metropolitan Yevstratii of Bila Tserkva, Archbishop Yakiv of Drohobych and Sambir, Archbishop Agapit of Vyshhorod, Bishop Kyryl of Uzhhorod and Khust, the rector of the church, Archimandrite Nikon, and local and invited clergy.
The service was attended by the defenders of Ukraine, the head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration Maksym Kozytskyi, the head of the Drohobych District Military Administration Stepan Kulyniak, the mayor of Drohobych Taras Kuchma, people's deputies, philanthropists and numerous believers.
After reading the Gospel, the Primate of the autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church delivered the sermon.
During the service, prayer requests were made for the soldiers who defend Ukraine, for the government and our people, and for the repose of the souls of all the fallen defenders of the Motherland and civilians who died as a result of the Russian attack in Lviv and throughout Ukraine.
Metropolitan Epiphanius also offered a special prayer to the Lord at a time when the Motherland is in danger.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the Primate awarded high church awards to the soldiers - our newest heroes, philanthropists, volunteers, government officials and believers.
Archbishop Yakov, in turn, expressed his gratitude to His Beatitude for the visit and wished God's blessed success in the development of our Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
After the solemn Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphanius consecrated the cross erected in memory of the heroes of Drohobych who died in the Russian-Ukrainian war.
According to the press service of the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC (OCU)
Press Service of the Vinnytsia-Bar Diocese of the UOC (OCU)
