With the blessing of the Vicegerent of the Holy Dormition Kiev-Caves Lavra, metropolitan Pavel of Vyshgorod and Chornobyl, archimandrite Hilarion performed the service for the reposed (called panikhida) in the Dormition Cathedral of the monastery for the Greeks who died during World War II.

The historical background of this day named “Oxi” (“Ohi”) was the refusal by saying “Oxi!” or “No!” of the Prime Minister of Greece to the conditions of Italy’s ultimatum on October, 28, 1940, and to the free passage of Mussolini troops. All Greece followed the Prime Minister and chanted “Oxi!”. The Greek people showed the unbelievable courage when defending their Fatherland and independence. The period of fights with the fascist invaders upon the refusal of all Greece to accept the ultimatum showed the unity of the Greek in the face of the danger and all-nation cohesion of the young and the old, the poor and the rich.

At the end of the service, father Hilarion turned to the Greek community of Kiev coming to the Great Church of the Kiev-Caves Lavra with the sermon and highlighted the importance of the fervent prayer for the departed, especially for those who gave their lives for faith and Fatherland. “We domesticated the Orthodox Christianity from the Byzantine Empire, – archimandrite Hilarion said. – “Plenty of things unite us. And we hope that God accepts our cordial prayer for the reposed souls of all warriors who gave their lives by defending not merely Greece, but the whole world from fascism. Let them advocate us at the Creator’s Throne so that God would bring us to salvation and to eternal joy!”

In conclusion, with the blessing of the hierarchy, father Hilarion awarded the orders of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Third Class Order of the Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir to Panteleimon Bumburas, the Order of the Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga to Svetlana Mazarati and Second Class Order of the Saint Barbara, the Great Martyr, to Maia Koriagina. Thereafter the joint memorial picture was taken.