"Thanks to monastic feat of Antoniy Pecherskyi Kyivan Rus was filled with God's light" - the Head of the UGCC in Obukhiv

During the sermon, His Beatitude Sviatoslav said that God created us in His own image and likeness, "He who is Light, created people in the image of His own light. He wanted us to be not just like Him and His everlasting light, but become the light ourselves".

"We cannot hide the lamp that is lit, under a bushel. It must be put on the table to shine through all those who are in the house. So, that is why, the holy ascetics, called Reverend Fathers, are seen as those who shine with the light of God. Moreover, those, who themselves are this way to the Light" – explained the Preacher.

He also reminded that this year Ukraine celebrates the millennium of the death of St. Volodymyr. "Next week at the state level, we are celebrating this event", - added the Head of the UGCC.

Spiritually moving to the origins of Christianity in Kievan Rus, the Head of the Church said that in those days, "lantern", which the Lord gave to our earth, was St Anthoniy Pecherskyi. As you know, Prince Volodymyr and Princess Olga are called equal to the apostles. They spread Christianity in our land through their own example. However, according to His Beatitude Sviatoslav if Christian faith was only at the level of the princes, the Christians would be only a small part of the "enlightened elite people". "To enlighten the whole earth with God's light, every Ukrainian soul and every home of the ancient Kievan Rus, we needed a special tool, a special "lantern", and St Antoniy became that “lantern" - said Bishop, noting that He is called Pecherskyi (Cave), for He, being enlightened by the Holy Spirit and the heavenly light entered the dark cave, but He did not live in the darkness, but in the light that came from Him.

With monastic feat of Antoniy Pecherskyi and His disciples the whole Kievan Rus was filled with God's light "Without our holy ascetic monastic life, in particular Eastern Slavic, today we would not have that light which now rejoice us".

The Primate of the UGCC noted that the monastic cloister in Obukhiv is special, both for Kyiv Archeparchy of the UGCC and for the whole land. For the Studite monkhood live by the ordinance, by which was sanctified St. Anthoniy. "He is really the lantern that our Savior lit to renew with the light of Christ’s Gospel our land. Today there is so much darkness, chaos and uncertainty, loss of hope and life guidelines! Our Ukrainian people need guidance and light lanterns that would help us to understand the meaning of all of what we live, and point the way into the future"- He concluded.

After the Liturgy, His Beatitude Sviatoslav blessed the icon, in which there are the relics of Pope Martin that He gave to this monastic cloister. And to complete His Beatitude Sviatoslav blessed the cross at the monastery territory.

UGCC Department of Information