His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry led the celebrations in Odessa on the day of memory of the Monk Kuksha of Odessa

Блаженнейший митрополит Онуфрий возглавил в Одессе торжества в день памяти преподобного Кукши Одесского print version September 30, 2019 16:04 On September 29, 2019, on the 15th Day of Pentecost, on the Exaltation, the feast day of St. Kuksha of Odessa, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Assumption Monastery in Odessa. Before the start of the service at the gates of the monastery, His Beatitude was met by bishops, clergy, monastery inhabitants and thousands of believers who arrived for the holiday. The Liturgy was served by the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church : Metropolitan of Odessa and Izmail Agafangel , Administrator of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovarsky , Metropolitan Anthony of Khmelnytsky and Starokonstantinovsky , Metropolitan of Krivoy Rog and Nicopolis , Metropolitan Yeropher of Metropolitan Hieromoness Yerophorod of Metropolitan Yeropolith Ananyevsky Alexy , Metropolitan of Sumy and Akhtyr Evlogy , Metropolitan of Kirovograd and Novomirgorod Joasaph , Metr opolit Dzhankoysky and Razdolnensky Alipy , Metropolitan of Lviv and Galitsky Filaret , Metropolitan of Nezhinsky and Pryluksky Clement , Archbishop of Ovidiopolsky Arkady , Archbishop of Yuzhnensky Diodorus , Bishop of Artsyzsky Bishop , Bishop of Bishopric of Belgorod At the small entrance, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry elevated Bishop Victor of Artsyz to the rank of Archbishop and presented liturgical awards to the clergy of the Odessa Diocese . After reading the Holy Gospel, His Beatitude addressed the faithful with a word of preaching. At the end of the Liturgy, clergy, led by the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, made a procession with the relics of St. Kuksha. His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry led the consecration of the new church of the Assumption Monastery in honor of the Blessed Matrona. After the service, Metropolitan Agafangel addressed His Beatitude with words of gratitude for the visit and donated the Ark with a particle of the relics of St. Kuksha of Odessa as a gift to His Beatitude. The Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church thanked Metropolitan Agafangel for his congratulations and gift, for many years of archpastoral work, fruitful work and the construction of churches. Talking about the life of the Monk Kuksha, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry explained to the flock what the real unity is: “The saints are not only prayer books for us sinners before God - they are for us an example of how a person should live on earth. There is no division between the righteous, there are no nationalities, there is no division according to skin color, according to other human qualities and merits. There all are one in Christ. Today we talk a lot about unity - we talk about the unity of Ukraine, we talk about the unity of the world, because Ukraine is not the only place where peace and unity are needed - the whole world needs it. People are trying to unite on some human principles, laws, common interests. But unity is right and lasting only when it is based on Christ. When everyone unites around Christ, then no one can destroy this unity, this unity passes with man into eternity. " On the same day His Beatitude Vladyka met with the pupils of a boarding school for children with hearing impairments. The primate blessed the children and presented everyone with gifts.