On July 12, the day Ukraine honors the saints who preached in the early days of the Church of Christ and who worked hardest among all the disciples of Jesus Christ – the supreme apostles Peter and Paul – the head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine visited the community of Peter and Paul Church in Berkivtsi. Metropolitan Epifaniy consecrated the case set to hold the relics of these holy apostles.
According to the official profile of the OCU Primate, on this day the parish celebrates the feast of the throne.
The apostles Peter and Paul are called supreme not because one of them was provided any special authority over the other apostles, but because they worked hardest among others to preach the gospel. They have served the most – and therefore they are most glorified. But this glory is not in the spirit in which the great secular rulers or conquerors are glorified – it comes from deep humility, willingness to devote oneself to serving the truth.
“The example of Peter and Paul teaches us that sinners can be converted, persecutors can be corrected, and the ones who have renounced [God] can repent and atone for their guilt. No matter how severe our sins are, no matter how deep the fall is, if we sincerely repent and work to fix the evil committed, bearing the fruits of good deeds, it is possible for each of us to rise from the lowest depths of the fall to the highest glory by God’s mercy,” said Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and all of Ukraine.
“Therefore, honoring the holy apostles Peter and Paul today, we will prayerfully ask them to help us establish ourselves in the true faith, guide us in repentance and good deeds. That’s for us to, at least to a small extent, follow their example – the example of those who followed Christ with dignity and therefore inherited eternal life,” he concluded.
