February 10, 2015
Kiev, Ukraine: Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishops visit the
Holy Sites of Ukraine
On
Thursday, February 5, a group of archpastors of the Russian Church
Abroad, including Bishops George of Mayfield and Nicholas of
Manhattan, vicars of the Eastern American Diocese, traveled on
pilgrimage from Moscow, Russia, to Kiev, Ukraine. The main goal of
the trip was to pray at the holy sites of Kievan Rus’ and offer
brotherly support to the archpastors, pastors, and flock of the
Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The hierarchs were warmly greeted by His Beatitude Onouphry,
Metropolitan of Kiev & All Ukraine. After lunch, Bishops George and
Nicholas venerated the holy relics in the Kiev Caves Lavra, as well
as the tomb of the Most Blessed Metropolitan Vladimir of blessed
memory.
On Friday, February 6, the delegation visited the holy sites of the
city of Chernigov.
On Saturday the 7th and Sunday the 8th of February, the Sunday of
the Prodigal Son and the feast day of the Holy New Martyrs &
Confessors of Russia, the hierarchs participated in festal divine
services at the Kievan Caves Lavra.
The All-Night Vigil on Saturday and Divine Liturgy on Sunday were
led by His Beatitude Onouphry, Metropolitan of Kiev & All Ukraine,
co-served by Their Eminences, Metropolitans Pavel of Vyshgorod &
Chernobyl – Deputy Abbot of the Holy Lavra – and Antony of Borispol
& Brovarsk, Administrator of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church;
hierarchs of the Russian Church Abroad: Their Graces, Bishops
Theodosius of Seattle, George of Mayfield, and Nicholas of
Manhattan, as well as Nikodim of Severodonetsk & Starobelsk, and the
Lavra clergy.
After
the Gospel reading, His Beatitude addressed the worshippers with a
sermon. At the appoint time, Bishop George performed a diaconal
ordination.
Upon completion of the service, His Beatitude congratulated the
archpastors, clergymen, brethren and other worshippers on the
occasion of the feast.
In the second half of the day, the vicar bishops visited Holy
Trinity Stavropegial Convent in Korets, Rovno Oblast.
The honored guests were greeted by the monastery’s rectress, Abbess
Raphaela (Khilchuk), and the sisters. They proceeded to Holy Trinity
Church, where they venerated the monastery’s main icon – the
wonderworking Icon of the Mother of God "Surety of Sinners" – and
the holy altar table.
Their Graces also became acquainted with the history of the
monastery, and venerated the holy relics and icons in St. John the
Baptist Church.
The hierarchs shared a meal with the rectress in the monastic
refectory, and left their impressions in the monastery guestbook.
In honor of their visit to the monastery, Abbess Raphaela presented
them with presents. Thanking the rectress of the Korets Monastery
for her hospitality, the guests then departed for the Pochaev Lavra.
Media Office of the Eastern
American Diocese
