The festive divine services on Sunday after the Great Feast of Exaltation of the Honorable and Life-giving Cross were led by the Holy Archimandrite of the monastery, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphrius of Kyiv and All Ukraine in the Holy Dormition Kiev-Caves Lavra.

In the Great Church, His Beatitude was joined in service by the Vicegerent of the Lavra, Metropolitan Pavel of Vyshgorod and Chornobyl, vicar of the Kyiv eparchy bishop Victor of Baryshivka, the brethren of the monastery in the holy order.

Upon reading the Gospel within the Divine Liturgy, the Primate of the UOC reminded of the sacred story of the Canaanite who came to Christ to ask for healing for the raging daughter. The distinguishing feature of this pagan woman was the utmost humility, which according to the word of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphrius, “is the self-subordination to God’s will, accepting all sent by God with gratitude: both the bitter and the sweet.”

“…by acknowledging oneself weak, a man receives the divine power. That is why one should not be afraid of humility, but should habituate oneself to it. This arises from the words of the Savior: “…learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29).

Upon the Liturgy, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphrius sanctified the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Ihorevska”. The original of this holy icon, in front of which according to the Tradition, Holy Great Prince Ihor of Kyiv and Chernihiv prayed back in the 12th century, was earlier placed in the Dormition Cathedral (till 1941). From the day of the 870th anniversary of the martyr decease of the Holy Righteous Prince Ihor (+September 19th, 1147 old style), the “Ihorevska” icon written in adherence to its original size is back due to God’s grace to its historical place in the John Chrysostom chapel of the Great Church for worship of the righteous Christians.

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