On the 40th day after the Nativity of Christ, when the Divine Infant was first brought to the temple as preassigned by the Old Testament, venerable Simeon met the Savior, Who came into the world not to violate the law or the prophecies, but to fulfill them (see Matt. 5:17).

In honor of the Great Feast designating the Meeting of Lord God and Our Savior Jesus Christ at the temple, solemn divine services were performed in the Kyiv-Caves Lavra.

The night before, Metropolitan Pavel of Vyshgorod and Chornobyl led the all-night vigil with a festive lity.

The Vicegerent of the Kyiv-Caves Lavra was joined in the divine service by Metropolitan Seraphim of Ivano-Frankivsk and Kolomyia, Head of the Synodal Information and Education Department of the UOC Metropolitan Kliment of Nizhyn and Pryluky, brethren and guests of the Monastery in the holy rite.

The next day, before the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Pavel performed the Order of blessing the candles, sprinkled thereafter with the holy water.

During the Liturgy, the prayers were read for the health of children suffering from cancer.

Also, honoring in Ukraine the participants of military actions on other territories, solemn prayers were offered for the repose of the deceased Orthodox soldiers.

Upon reading the Gospel, the Vicegerent of the Lavra addressed the numerous worshipers with a sermon narrating about the event of the Presentation of the Lord at the temple and its significance for each of us.

At the end of the Liturgy, the glorification to the Presentation of the Lord was sung in the center of the church, whereafter, calling on all the God’s blessing, Metropolitan Pavel thanked the concelebrating brethren for their prayers and congratulated everyone on the celebrated event as welll as those who have accepted the Life-Giving Sacraments.

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