During the archpastoral visit to the Kolomyia Diocese on July 17, the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epifaniy, consecrated the throne and the church built in honor of Holy Apostolic Princess Olha in the village of Myshyn, Kolomyia district, Ivano-Frankivsk region.
He also delivered the first Divine Liturgy in the temple, the OCU press service reports.
Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Epifaniy led the service alongside Metropolitan Joasaph of Ivano-Frankivsk and Halych, Archbishop Herman of Chernivtsi and Khotyn, Archbishop Agapit of Vyshhorod, Bishop Julian of Kolomyia and Kosiv, church rector Archpriest Roman Nazaruk, and other invited clerics.
In his sermon, the OCU head stressed the importance of a church in the life of the community and every Christian, and also called for cultivating love for others, maintaining unity, and pursuing charitable deeds.
“Love will not allow us to do evil, while promoting acts of charity, through which the Lord will also help us,” said Metropolitan Epifaniy.
“As we consume food several times a day to be physically fit, so our soul also needs spiritual food – Church Sacraments, prayer, good deeds, and acts of charity,” said the Primate.
In addition, Metropolitan Epifaniy pointed out the need to know his true history.
“Remembering our holy apostolic princess Olha, we are talking about more than 1,000 years of Ukrainian statehood. That is, we have an ancient glorious history that we must learn objectively. History is sometimes complicated, but it is our true history, on the basis of which we are building a common future in the Ukraine that our predecessors aspired to,” he concluded.
An all-Ukrainian anti-coronavirus prayer followed the liturgy.
At the end of the service, His Beatitude awarded the church rector and benefactors with church awards. In turn, Bishop Julian expressed his gratitude to the Primate for his visit and the joint prayer.
