New Ukrainian Orthodox Bishops Consecrated in Kiev

It has been reported that this past Sunday Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev and nine other hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church consecrated Archimandrite Roman (Kymovych) as Bishop of Konotop. Axios! Bishop Roman will shepherd the Eparchy of Konotop in northeastern Ukraine. More in Ukrainian here.

The following day, the commemoration of St. Anthony of the Kiev Caves, Metropolitan Volodymyr led festal services at the Kiev Caves Lavra, during which he consecrated Archimandrite Clement (Vecher) as Bishop of Irpin' together with nineteen other hierarchs of the Church of Ukraine. Axios! The newly consecrated Bishop Clement will serve as an auxiliary of the Metropolitanate of Kiev and chairman of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church's education committee. More in Ukrainian here.

St. Igor of Kiev

Joyous feast! С праздником! Today we commemorate the Holy Great Prince Igor of Kiev. St. Igor came to lead Rus' during a time of great internal division within its royal family, and only served briefly as great prince before his overthrow and banishment to a monastery. The Saint embraced the monastic life and was eventually tonsured to the great schema.

After a short time in the monastery a mob of his family's opponents sought St. Igor out, dragging him out of the monastery church during the Divine Liturgy and murdered him. When the Saint's body was later recovered and taken to St. Michael's Monastery the candles near it lit of their own accord. The Saint was buried at another monastery on the outskirts of Kiev.

In 1150 St. Igor's relics were translated to the city cathedral of Chernigov, whilst the wonderworking Igorov Icon before which he had been praying prior to his martyrdom was enshrined in the catholicon of the Kiev Caves Lavra. More on his life can be found here. May St. Igor's blessing and prayers be with us all!

Photo of the Day: Patriarchal Divine Liturgy at the Kiev Caves Lavra

Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of the Russian Orthodox Church, Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of the Georgian Orthodox Church, and Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church during their concelebration this morning of the festal Divine Liturgy in honor of the anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'. More pictures of the celebratory services, which took place on the square in front of the Kiev Caves Lavra's Cathedral of the Dormition, can be found here.

Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kiev Marks 45th Anniversary of Episcopal Consecration

Yesterday, the second day of the Jubilee Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the assembled Ukrainian Orthodox hierarchs, clergy, and faithful concelebrated the festal Divine Liturgy in honor of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the consecration of Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev to the episcopacy.

During the Divine Liturgy Metropolitan Volodymyr elevated Archbishops Serhiy (Hensitskyy) of Ternopil' and Simeon (Shostatskiy) of Vinnytsia to the rank of metropolitan and Bishop Panteleimon (Bashchuk) of Uman to the rank of archbishop. The festal services were celebrated on the square in front of the Kiev Caves Lavra's Cathedral of the Dormition. More (in Russian) here.

New Bishop of Shepetivka Consecrated in Kiev

During the Divine Liturgy this morning Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev and fourteen other hierarchs of the autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church consecrated Archimandrite Dionisiy (Konstantinov) as Bishop of Shepetivka in the Refectory Church of Sts. Anthony and Theodosius at the Kiev Caves Lavra. More (in Russian) here.

St. Theodosius of the Kiev Caves

Christ is risen! Христос воскрес! Joyous feast! С праздником! St. Theodosius is one of the renowned early abbots of the Kiev Caves Lavra of the Dormition in Ukraine and is often remembered in the same breath as St. Anthony, the Lavra's founder. During his abbacy the Lavra's communal rule (устав) was adopted by the brotherhood. More on St. Theodosius' life can be found here. May his blessing and prayers be with us all!

Superior of Kiev Caves Lavra Elevated to Rank of Metropolitan

Archbishop Pavel (Lebed) of Vyshhorod, auxiliary to Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev and superior of the Kiev Caves Lavra, was elevated to the rank of metropolitan this past St. Thomas' Sunday with the title "of Vyshhorod and Chernobyl." More here.

Patriarchal Services at Kiev Caves Lavra

Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) and Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev concelebrated the Paschal Divine Liturgy in the square in front of the Kiev Caves Lavra's Cathedral of the Dormition today as part of his ongoing visit to Ukraine. (The cathedral is undergoing renovations and services have not been possible in it for some time now.) After the festal services Patriarch Kirill awarded the Lavra's abbot, auxiliary Archbishop Pavel (Lebed) of Vyshhorod, the Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov. More (in Russian) here.

Kiev Caves Lavra Considering Removal of Soviet-era Museums

Ukraine's Kiev Caves Lavra, currently the seat of the autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church, is considering evicting the two state art museums organized in the Lavra's central buildings during the Soviet era so that the buildings can be restored to the Lavra's use. More here.

Patriarch Theophilos Visiting Ukraine

Patriarch Theophilos III (Giannopoulos) of Jerusalem is on a visit to the Ukraine. Over the weekend he met with hierarchs of the autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church and then on Sunday visited the Kiev Caves Lavra.