Military of Kyivan Archeparchy celebrate St. Nicholas Day

St. Nicholas Day was celebrated in the Kyiv garrison. The event was organized by military chaplains Fr. Damian Gabor and Brother Teoktyst Mishchuk, OSBM. The celebration began on December 18 in the military post of the 3030 Internal Forces of Kyiv, where young people from the parish Church of St. Nicholas the Good put on a skit about the Miracleworker. Sister Kryzanta Khardi, OSBM, greeted the military conscripts. At the end of the celebration, Fr. Damian thanked the guests from the parish, which is located near the military post, and invited young people to visit the troops during the Christmas holidays. The next day, the very day of St. Nicholas, chaplains visited military of the special military base Bars, in the city of Irpin. Children of catechism at the parish school of St. Andrew’s Church (Vyshgorod), put on a play about St. Nicholas. The children came with Natalia Novosad, the organizer of the play, and Brother Oleh, a student of the Three Saints Seminary of the Kyiv, who participated in the play. Among those present in the hall were servicemen and officers with families who live in this military town. The second event was visiting the children of military personnel who live in Kyiv. More than 60 children had a chance to speak with the “Holy Guardian” and receive presents from him. The military chaplains were helped by young people from the parish of St. Basil the Great in Kyiv. “The main purpose of the organization of holidays is to promote the values espoused by St. Nicholas in the military environment. Since today Father Frost, who was introduced by the totalitarian system of the last century, is still present in Ukrainian society, we want to popularize St. Nicholas Day, which is one of our native Ukrainian traditions,” said the military chaplain, Fr. Damian Gabor.  

UGCC Information Department