UOC Synod greets His Beatitude Onuphry on 10th anniversary of enthronement
The Primate of the UOC was wished peace, strong health, joy in the Holy Spirit, steadfastness and God's help in his further ministry.
His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry received congratulations on the 10th anniversary of his enthronement on behalf of the Holy Synod, archpastors, pastors, synodal departments, monks, religious schools and the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. As reported by the the UOC Information and Education Department, the congratulatory address was read after the conclusion of the Liturgy at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
"The election of Your Beatitude to the Throne of the Metropolitans of Kyiv placed on your head not a crown of glory but the sharp thorns of trials," the message says.
It was noted that during the years of His Beatitude's leadership, the Church and the people have faced the most challenging events in the history of our State's independence.
"The personal qualities of Your Beatitude’s soul – calmness, patience and temperance—greatly contribute to the necessary mutual understanding. In the most important doctrinal issues for the Church, as a worthy successor to the Primates of Kyiv, you have always demonstrated unwavering firmness, which serves as a reliable guarantee for preserving Orthodoxy in the God-protected Ukrainian land," the address to the Primate said.
On behalf of the entire Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Onuphry was thanked for his efforts in the benefit and preservation of Orthodoxy in Ukraine.
"We all understand the great weight of the cross which the Lord has placed on you and which you have carried without complaint for 10 years. The grace of God and the protection of the Queen of Heaven give you the strength to lead the church ship with dignity in the very difficult conditions of storms and undercurrents," the congratulatory message continues.
His Beatitude was wished peace, strong health, joy in the Holy Spirit, steadfastness, and God's help in his further primatial service for the benefit of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
As reported by the UOJ, His Beatitude was also congratulated on his 10th anniversary of enthronement by Serbian Patriarch Porfirije and Georgian Patriarch Ilia.
