On April 10, 2024, a regular meeting of the clergy of the Vinnytsia-Bar Diocese was held at the Transfiguration Cathedral in Vinnytsia under the chairmanship of Metropolitan Symeon of Vinnytsia and Bar. The meeting was preceded by a joint service of the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, during which prayers were offered for Ukraine, the victory of the Ukrainian army and a just peace.
The meeting addressed a number of issues, primarily concerning the celebration of the services in the period leading up to Easter, as well as on the Easter holiday itself. Metropolitan Symeon emphasized the need to celebrate not only Sunday liturgies, but also the liturgies of the Presanctified Gifts in parishes. The Archpastor also drew attention to the importance of providing pastoral care to elderly parishioners who are unable to attend church services due to illness. The Hierarch called on the priests to make sure that such people have the opportunity to confess and receive the Holy Mysteries of Christ at home during Lent.
The next item on the agenda was administrative issues. In particular, Metropolitan Symeon introduced to the clergy the new dean of Zhmerynka district, Archpriest Yaroslav Dyachyna, who replaced Archpriest Dmytro Pasichnyk, who transferred to the Bila Tserkva Diocese. The Archpastor also introduced the clergy to the new priests who joined the clergy of the Vinnytsia-Bar Diocese.
Another important issue discussed by the participants of the meeting was the participation of parishes in providing support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as the volunteer activities of individual priests and religious communities. It was noted that each parish, either independently or in cooperation with volunteer and public organizations, government and local authorities, regularly provides assistance to the defenders of the Motherland. In addition, next Sunday, immediately after the Liturgy, volunteer priest Anatoliy Kuznetsov will go on his next trip to the east, where he will bring many necessary items for the military, which were purchased at the expense of secular benefactors and the faithful and clergy of the Diocese. After hearing the information about the volunteer activities, Metropolitan Symeon blessed the rectors and church communities to pay even more attention to raising funds for the needs of the Armed Forces during the Easter period, when many people come to churches and there is an opportunity to unite the efforts of many people.
Returning to the issues of parish life, Metropolitan Symeon drew the attention of the clergy to the need to organize the cleaning of cemeteries and church grounds for the Easter holiday. The issue of performing Easter services under martial law in compliance with the curfew and necessary security measures was also raised.
In addition to the above-mentioned issues, the meeting considered the celebration of services in cemeteries on memorial days, the commemoration of deceased pastors and parishioners in each parish on Radonytsia (Tuesday of the second week after Easter), approved the schedule of bishops' services during the Easter week, and set the date of the festive joint service.
Metropolitan Symeon once again drew attention to the need to harmonize the practice of celebrating church services with the new edition of the Service Book and explained some of the issues that arise during the joint service of the Liturgy.
The Archpastor also spoke about the Holy Ascension Monastery, which was founded by the decision of the Holy Synod of the OCU, which took place recently, and wished God's help to the abbot of the monastery, Archimandrite Sofroniy (Chupryna).
In conclusion, the clergy were treated to a presentation of the book "The Cultural and Historical Dimension of Sphagistics" by historian Vitaliy Perkun, which explores the seals used in the Orthodox Church on the Right Bank of Ukraine in the seventeenth and twentieth centuries as a historical source and cultural phenomenon.
Press service of the Diocese of Vinnytsia and Bar of the UOC (OCU)
