Father Co-Celebrates Soldier Son’s Funeral Service
A Kyiv deacon buried his son, an AFU soldier, in a solemn service at Iona Monastery.
KYIV, UKRAINE — On February 19, 2026, the Holy Trinity Iona Monastery in Kyiv hosted the funeral of George, a soldier in the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) and son of Hierodeacon Mitrofan. Abp. Iona of Obukhiv led the service, with the father serving as co-celebrant.
In a social media statement, Abp. Iona — a hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church — reflected on the tragedy, writing, “It’s scary when a father buries his son . . . God, stop the war!” He noted that George served in the Azov unit and highlighted that many Orthodox Ukrainians are defending the country.
The Archbishop called on the faithful to pray for the fallen soldier and acknowledged that the circumstances of his service might draw criticism from propagandists, emphasizing that George’s dedication and sacrifice remain a fact.
Previously, the UOJ reported that an AFU medic publicly stated to Zelensky: "You took citizenship from from His Beatitude [Onuphy]. Take mine, too."
