Metropolitan Volodymyr Makes Archpastoral Visit to Diocese of Berdyansk
BERDYANSK – On the invitation of Bishop Yelisey of Prymorsk and Berdyansk of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), on July the head of that church, Metropolitan Volodymyr, made an archpastoral visit to the region of Berdyansk. He was accompanied by Vicar of the Kyiv Metropolis Bishop Alexander of Pereiaslav-Khmelnytskyi (Secretary for the UOC primate).
As reports the press servive of the UOC-MP, on the first day of his visit the hierarch visited the Nativity of Theotokos Cathedral where in concelebration with the hierarchs and clergy he performed a thanksgiving prayer service.
Praying at the service were Boris Petrov, the governor of Zaporizhia region, Yevhenii Shapovalov, the mayor of Berdyansk, representatives of local self-government bodies, Cossacks, and numerous believers from different corners of the Diocese of Berdyansk.
Metropolitan Volodymyr blessed clergymen and faithful and addressed the worshippers with a word of greeting and exhortation.
In response Bishop Yelisei, on behalf of the clergymen and faithful thanked the primate of the UOC for his archpastoral care of the lands of Berdyansk and offered him a panagia as a present.
Finally, the hierarch answered the questions of the regional and city media and blessed the residents of the city.
On July 3 Metropolitan Volodymyr performed consecration of the Holy Trinity Church located in the very center of Berdyansk.
Praying at the divine service also was the wife of the president of Ukraine Liudmyla Yanukovych.
After the church consecration the primate performed the Divine Liturgy there.
Since the Holy Trinity Church could not fit all those willing to attend the divine service, numerous worshippers watched a broadcast of the service.
Upon completion of the Divine Liturgy, the primate awarded those who worked especially hard for the good deed of construction of a new church.
