On March 12, 2023, on the Second Week of Great Lent, the feast of the Council of All Saints of the Kiev Caves, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine led a solemn service at the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. This was reported by the Information and Educational Department of the UOC.

“It was planned to celebrate the Divine Liturgy on the square near the Near Caves of the Lavra, since none of the accessible temples of the monastery could accommodate all the parishioners and pilgrims. However, due to bad weather, a divine service had to be held in the Exaltation of the Cross Church. Despite the cold, thousands of believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church prayed on the square in front of the Exaltation of the Cross Church, where the Primate celebrated the Liturgy,” the report says.

Bishops of the UOC, guests in holy orders, and the clergy of the monastery co-served with His Beatitude.

At the small entrance, the Primate marked with liturgical awards the monks of the Lavra in holy orders.

After reading the Holy Gospel, His Beatitude the Archpastor addressed the faithful with a sermon.

At the special litany, they brought to the Lord special petitions for peace on Ukrainian soil and deliverance from the enemy; that the Lord take pity on our people and save those who are in despair and have lost their homes; about God’s blessing to people of good will who help those in need. In a prayer after the litany, the Primate asked God for mercy, so that the Lord would make the power wiser, strengthen the courage of the soldiers, free the captives, heal the sick and give shelter to those who were deprived of their homes.

After the Divine Liturgy, the bishops, clergy and faithful, led by the Primate, went in procession to the Far Caves and prayed to the venerable fathers of the Kiev Caves.