On the feast of the Procession (Translation) of the Precious Wood of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, as well as the commemoration of the seven Maccabean martyrs — Abimus, Antoninus, Gurias, Eleazar, Eusebon, Achim and Marcellus — their mother, the martyr Solomonia (Salome), and their teacher, the martyr Eleazar, solemn services marking the first day of the Dormition Fast were celebrated in the churches of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

On the eve of the feast, the evening service with the bringing out and veneration of the Cross at the Church of St Agapitus of the Caves was led by Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary, Chancellor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, concelebrating with the clergy of the Pechersk Monastery.

On the feast day itself, following the early service at the Church of St Sergius of Radonezh, Archimandrite Damian, custodian of the Far Caves, led the blessing of water, after which he sprinkled the honey and herbs brought by the faithful with the newly blessed water.

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