The Head of the UGCC congratulated the first graduates from Kyiv Three Holy Hierarchs Spiritual Seminary

 “I remember when in 2011 I met with a small group of prime-seminarians. When I looked into their eyes I saw the didn’t want to leave this place and attend another seminary. The Holy Spirit was reflected in their eyes, wishing to renew a seminary on these lands. I told them that here a totally new seminary would appear!”, the Head of the Church shared his thoughts with. His Beatitude Sviatoslav congratulated the first graduates from this seminary: “Do not cherish illusions as though you gained everything and learned all theology. We want to give you a teacher who will never leave you but will teach wholeheartedly. The Consolator of all grief and tests, the strength and source of your success is a Holy Spirit which will be awakening you to a prayer every morning, that Church receives from Father through Son and giving us generously. So grow up in a spiritual life, be clergy, be wise and holy, those who love God and people, who you are sent to”.

The preacher pointed out that feast of Holy Trinity is an unusual event when God shares His life, happiness, love with a human. “Yesterday we started understanding so deeply what once was separated because of a human’s sin. A moment of new consolidation between people and only Spirit of God has begun”, he explained. Out of all persons of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit we know the least about. Yet due to this act Jesus was begotten and became a man simultaneously. God granted us a Holy Spirit without a visible begetting but it still can be seen in a person who is alive as they were created as a temple of Holy Spirit. “When a person is growing up in holiness then the presence of Holy Spirit is clear and visible in them. Let’s ask ourselves: what does it take to live a spiritual life?  Usually, when God calls somebody to a priest’s mission, these people are considered to be called a clergy. But what makes us the clergy?”, the Head of the UGCC asked to think over it. One thinks all what is spiritual has to be immaterial, however spiritual life is not an escape from material but it is a life in in a Holy Spirit. “It is not knowledge and efforts to be honest and kind and perfect that make us spiritual, but a live presence of the Holy Spirit in our life and heart”.

“It is important to us to greet a strange guest of our soul – the Holy Spirit that gets down on us and give Him a place in an own life”, the Head of the UGCC said to the graduates from Kyiv Spiritual Seminary.

At the end of a common prayer the Head of the UGCC thanked His Beatitude Lyubomyr, the present bishops, rector’s office, lecturers, Sisters Myrrhbearers and graduates’ parents as well. He expressed a special gratitude to archpriest Andriy Chernenko and archpriest Vitaliy Peroh who carried out obligations of vice-rector and prefect and now go back to their parishes. Afterwards His Beatitude Sviatoslav handed bachelor’s certificates to 4^th year brother seminarians, and then master’s certificates to 5^th year graduates.

We also would like to note that there is one tradition in seminary: running a meeting of seminary community with all lecturers and employees of this educational institution at the end of an academic year. Thus after a common prayer for all guests was organized a festive programme on meadow nearby a seminary. After -rector of the Seminary archpriest Petro Zhuk greeted everyone, Seminary octet, choir of Kyiv Spiritual Seminary and Seminary band “MetaNoya” appeared with their concert.

During the feast different electives, joyful songs and football game were performed. A celebration was closed with a common prayer and rector archpriest Petro Zhuk’s words of thanks. 

Department of Information UGCC