“Without the Sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist we cannot travel the road of Great Lent nor the path of our life,” His Beatitude Sviatoslav in Novovolynsk

“During the journey of Great Lent, in order that we not become discouraged, the Lord sends us heavenly bread, which is not the Old Testament manna, but the Body and Blood of Our Savior.  During a special service, which is said only on weekdays of Great Lent, God feeds us with heavenly bread – Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Therefore this Liturgy is known as the Liturgy of the Pre-Consecrated Gifts,” stated His Beatitude Sviatoslav (Shevchuk), UGCC Head after the Liturgy of the Pre-Consecrated Gifts, which took place in the Church of Saint Apostles Peter and Paul in Novovolynsk on March 29, 2013.

The Church Head encouraged the large number of faithful attending the service, to partake in the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist during Great Lent because “without these we can travel neither through Great Lent nor on the road of our life.”  He emphasized that Christian life does not come only from our strength and ability to do various good things, but that it comes from God who is the source of both the earthly and the eternal life.  At the end of his sermon, UGCC Primate thanked all present for the shared prayers which became “a shared journey through Great Lent.”  “May God – the real heavenly bread, always come down from the heavens to you, in order to strengthen you,” – he concluded.

Also welcoming words were said by Rev. Volodymyr Kmet, who is involved in charitable efforts by the Charity Fund Caritas: Volyn, and is the pastor of the above-mentioned Church of the Saint Apostles Peter and Paul.  The priest revisited some of UGCC history in Volyn and noted that a former UGCC monastery is near Novovolynsk.

The priest also described the charitable projects carried out by Caritas in this area.  He thanked Bishop Josaphat (Hovera), Lutsk Exarch, and parishioners for their support, noting that although Caritas receives some funds from abroad, it is also important that people attempt to help each other.  Rev. Volodymyr also noted that the church has many icons which have been embroidered by parishioners.  He presented one of them – an icon of the Kyiv Oranta to His Beatitude Sviatoslav(Shevchuk), UGCC Head.

After imparting a pastoral blessing, His Beatitude Sviatoslav presented a small icon of the Kyiv Oranta , so that it would protect Novovolynsk and all the faithful in the Volyn lands.

UGCC Department of Information