UOC Marks 35th Anniversary of Met. Onuphry's Episcopal Consecration
Primate leads festive Liturgy at Kyiv monastery; hierarchs and faithful offer prayers for Ukraine.
KYIV — The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) commemorated the 35th anniversary of the episcopal consecration of its Primate on Dec. 9, 2025, marking the day in 1990 when the future Met. Onuphry (Berezovsky), then an archimandrite, was ordained Bishop of Chernivtsi and Bukovina. As is tradition, hierarchs, clergy, and faithful gathered to pray with their Primate on this anniversary.
As shared by the Information and Education Department of the UOC, at the Panteleimon Cathedral of the Kyiv monastery, His Beatitude presided at the Divine Liturgy. Concelebrating were permanent members of the UOC Holy Synod, including Met. Theodore of Kamianets-Podilskyi and Horodok, Met. Meletiy of Chernivtsi and Bukovina, Met. Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary, and Met. Klyment of Nizhyn and Pryluky, along with other hierarchs, clergy of Kyiv, and visiting priests from various dioceses.
Abbesses of the Church’s monastic communities prayed at the service, with liturgical hymns performed by the choir of the Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary under the direction of Archimandrite Leontiy (Tupkalo).
Prayers were offered for peace in Ukraine, deliverance from the enemy, protection for the displaced and despairing, and God’s blessing upon those aiding the suffering. Met. Onuphry prayed for wisdom for the country’s authorities, courage for the soldiers, freedom for captives, healing for the sick, and shelter for the homeless.
After the dismissal, Met. Theodore delivered congratulations to the Primate on behalf of the Holy Synod. Met. Onuphry expressed gratitude to the hierarchs, clergy, monastics, and faithful for their support and asked for continued prayers.
Representatives of monastic communities and the assembled faithful then greeted the Metropolitan on the occasion of his anniversary.
Previously, UOJ reported that Met. Onuphry had congratulated the imprisoned Met. Arseniy on the anniversary of his episcopal consecration.
