On the day of celebration of the world-wide Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, solemn divine services were held in the Kyiv-Caves Lavra in honor of the dedication feast of the Monastery.

The night before, the Head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphrius of Kyiv and All Ukraine held the all-night vigil.

After singing of the great glorification, the Cross was taken out of the altar and, according to the ancient Orthodox custom dating back to the 4th century, the Rite of the Exaltation of the Cross was performed. Then, with the chanting of “We worship Your Cross, Lord,” all the praying knelt at the great shrine, the Cross of the Lord, containing a fragment of the Life-Giving Wood on which Lord Jesus Christ was crucified.

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