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Ukraine: Consecration of a bishop for UOC parishes abroad

11. Januar 2023

On 3 January 2023, on the commemoration day of St. Peter, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Rus’, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy of Kyiv and All Ukraine celebrated a Divine Liturgy and performed the consecration of a bishop in the church of Venerable Agapitos of the Kyiv Caves in the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Bishops of the UOC concelebrated with the Primate. Archimandrite Benjamin (Voloshchuk), a clergyman of the Chernivtsi and Bukovyna Diocese, became a new bishop of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. He was consecrated as Bishop of Boiarka, a vicar of the Kyiv Metropolitanate. Vladyka Benjamin will serve as the administrator of parishes of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church abroad. The nomination of the new bishop took place in Feofaniia the day before.

Before the beginning of the Divine Liturgy, during which the consecration of the bishop took place, a special rite was performed. The candidate for the holy order of bishop proclaimed the confession of faith and gave the vows to keep the Tradition of the Church. Then a deacon proclaimed wishes for long life to the Primate, hierarchs, the Church people and the candidate for the holy order.

The decision to elect a bishop for Ukrainian parishes abroad was taken by the Holy Synod of the UOC on 20 December 2022 due to the fact that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church had increased its presence abroad. The main purpose of this activity is to provide spiritual and pastoral support to our faithful who have forcibly found themselves outside Ukraine as a consequence of the war. Presently, 32 communities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church exist in 11 countries of Western Europe. Tens of priests of our Church satisfy the spiritual needs of Orthodox Ukrainians there.

Viceregent of the Lavra Metropolitan Pavel of Vyshhorod and Chornobyl, Head of the UOC Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Meletius of Chernivtsi and Bukovyna, Chancellor of the UOC Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary, Metropolitan Clement of Nizhyn and Pryluky, Archbishop Seraphim of Yahotyn, Archbishop Benjamin of Khotyn, Archbishop Victor of Baryshivka, Archbishop Sylvester of Bilohorodka, Bishop Laurus of Irpin, Bishop Mark of Borodianka, Bishop Silouan of Hertsia, the clergy of the Lavra and guests in holy order concelebrated with the Primate.

During the Liturgy, prayers were offered up for peace on the Ukrainian land; for the deliverance of the enemy; for the Lord’s having mercy on our people and saving the desperate and those who had lost their homes; for God’s blessing to people of good will helping people in need. In the prayer after the Litany of Fervent Supplication, the Primate asked God for His grace to the Ukrainian people, asked Him to make the state authorities wiser, strengthen the warriors with courage, free the prisoners of war, heal the sick and give refuge to those who had been deprived of their homes.

After the Divine Liturgy, the Primate addressed Bishop Benjamin of Boiarka with a speech and handed him a hierarchal crozier. In accordance with the tradition, Vladyka Benjamin blessed the faithful as a bishop for the first time. (Quelle: www.news.church.ua, 4. Januar 2023)