Metropolitan’s Onufriy visit to Dnipropetrovsk: Churches out of politics, but politics candidate is at liturgy
During the visit to Dnipropetrovsk of Metropolitan Onufryof the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), there was no open campaign for candidates to the seat of mayor, however a special diocesan newspaper issue that was distributed published a greeting to one of the electoral contestants.
Our reporter Sofia Bogutska received dozens copies of the festive release of‘Dnipropetrovsk Diocesan Bulletin’.
The headlines, while telling about the visit of Metropolitan Onufriy of Kyiv and All Ukraine, contains the greeting of Metropolitan Iriney of Dnipropetrovsk and Pavlohrad on the occasion of 240 anniversary of the diocese and a dozen sentences of greeting to MP Oleksandr Vilkul, the Opposition Bloc candidate running for the mayor of Dnipropetrovsk. It is difficult to call it a fortuity, because the Archbishop Iriney is chief editor and Archpriest Myolai Nesprava is managing editor. He is the rector of the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Panagia”, where Metropolitan Onufriy he celebrated a festive liturgy. 20 thousand copies of the newspaper were printed.
Officially, Metropolitan Onufriy of Kyiv and All Ukraine came to consecrate the upper temple of the church in honor of the Mother of God "Iveron". This is a church estate in the residential area of Dnepropetrovsk. Its construction started in 1998 amidst the pine forest. The central building was erected, but open only the lower church was opened for worship for a long time. Lots of guests attended the church consecration. There were representatives of Ukrainian dioceses of the UOC (MP) and the local Orthodox Churches –of Constantinople, Georgia and Russia. The priests were so many that the temple could accept only a few dozen faithful, and not at the same time. The rest, some several hundred stood in front of the church and watched the consecration and the Divine Liturgy on large TV screens.
After the celebration, the head of the UOC (MP) congratulated all those present on the 240th anniversary of the founding of the Diocese of Dnipropetrovsk. Metropolitan Onufriy also congratulated Metropolitan of Dnepropetrovsk and Pavlograd Iriney of the 40th anniversary of episcopal ordination, which was 27 July. In addition, the Bishop has exactly 22 years serving in the Dnipropetrovsk region. 19 October 1993 he was appointed archbishop of Dnepropetrovsk and Krivoy Rog, and for three years - Dnipropetrovsk and Pavlograd. For this primate of the Orthodox Church Irenaeus awarded the Order of Reverend Anthony and Theodosius Pechersky first degree. It is the highest award of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate).
