UOC prays for Metropolitan Volodymyr on the 10th anniversary of his repose

His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy leads the memorial service on the 10th anniversary of the repose of His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr. Photo: news.church.ua

On July 5, 2024, the full assembly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) prayed for the late Primate, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Volodymyr (Sabodan), on the 10th anniversary of his repose.

According to the UOC Information and Education Department, the memorial prayer service was led by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy of Kyiv and All Ukraine, with the concelebration of Metropolitan Antony of Boryspil and Brovary, Archbishop Seraphim of Yahotyn, Bishop Lavr of Irpin, Bishop Mark of Borodianka, and the clergy of the Kyiv Eparchy.

“His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Volodymyr (Sabodan) departed to the Lord on July 5, 2014, at the age of 79. The late Primate led the Ukrainian Orthodox Church for over 20 years (from May 27, 1992, to July 5, 2014). The primatial ministry of His Beatitude Volodymyr was marked by fruitfulness and significant flourishing of church life in Ukraine,” the statement reads.

On this day, a panikhida (memorial service) was served at the grave of the Archbishop in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra by the monks of the monastery and the clergy of the Kyiv Theological Academy. Memorial liturgies were also performed in the monastery's churches.

Prayers for the repose of the late Primate were also held in his native village of Markivtsi in Khmelnytskyi region.

The memorial services were led by Metropolitan Varsonofiy of Vinnytsia and Bar, with the concelebration of Archbishop Oleksandr of Horodnytsia, Archbishop Victor of Khmelnytskyi and Starokostiantyniv, Archbishop Serhiy of Ladyzhyn, and Bishop Arkadiy of Hostomel. Abbess Liubov (Pikhur) of the Transfiguration Convent in Holovchyntsi, along with the sisters of the convent, also prayed during the service.

The church was filled with numerous believers who came from various parts of the diocese to prayerfully honor the memory of Metropolitan Volodymyr. After the prayer service in the church, the bishops and clergy visited the village cemetery, where Archbishop Victor performed a memorial litiya at the grave of Metropolitan Volodymyr's parents, Markian and Feodosia Sabodan. They also visited the house where the late Primate was born.

Memorial prayers were also offered in other dioceses of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. In Odesa, the service was led by Metropolitan Agafangel of Odesa and Izmail.

As reported by the UOJ, memorial services for Metropolitan Volodymyr were held in the Lavra.

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