His Beatitude Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine celebrated Great Vespers with the Rite of Carrying the Shroud on April 18, 2025 in Kyiv’s St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral.
This is reported on the OCU website.
His Beatitude was concelebrated by Archbishop Ahapit of Vyshgorod, Bishop Yefraim of Vasylkiv, the venerable brethren of the Golden-Domed Monastery, and invited clergy.
After the service, the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine delivered a consecration speech before the Holy Shroud.
On Good Friday and Holy Friday, according to custom, at noon, the Holy Shroud with the image of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who lies in the tomb, is carried out into the middle of the church. After the Shroud is brought in, the canon “Lamentation of the Mother of God” is recited.
“Woe to me, my Child, woe to me, my Light,” the Church mournfully laments on behalf of the Most Holy Theotokos, contemplating the horror of the Passion Days.
“Is there Eternal life once you die?” she asks in surprise to her Son and God.
On Good Friday, the suffering and death on the Cross of the Savior Jesus Christ are remembered. It is on this day of Holy Week that fasting is especially strict.
