Metropolitan Arseniy (Yakovenko): when stones were thrown at the icon of the Mother of God, there was a feeling – mother was offended

When Sviatogorsk icon of the Mother of God was being carried by the All-Ukrainian Cross Procession, and they were throwing stones, eggs, spitting at Her, there arose such a feeling with all believers – their mother was being offended. It was said on 29 July by father superior of the Holy Dormition Sviatogorsk Lavra Metropolitan Arseniy, as reported by the UOC Awareness-Raising Department.

Metropolitan Arseniy made such a statement in his sermon on the occasion of meeting Sviatogorsk icon of the Mother of God that returned to the monastery on the Holy Mountains after the All-Ukrainian Cross Procession finished.

The Metropolitan told about the provocative questions he was asked by the mass media. “The reporters came up to me and asked, “What do you think about the Moscow Patriarchate holding the Cross Procession in Kiev?” I replied to them, “You mean to say these are all Moscovites?! These people are from Donbass, Ternopol, poor, miserable, humiliated, who have only hope left – to seek help from the Mother of God and Her Son!,” said the Metropolitan.

The reporters asked questions about what was most difficult about the Cross Procession. The father superior answered it was not physical efforts of pilgrims. “The most difficult thing was that we are used to seeing this icon as our sanctity. We are used to honoring the Queen of Heaven as if she were our own mother! And when radicals were throwing stones, eggs, spitting at Her, there arose such a feeling with all believers – their mother was being offended. It was the hardest moment. If the Saint Venerables Anthony and Theodosius of the Kiev Caves met the Holy Mother, they would bend, cry, and pray before Her! If Saint Prince Vladimir and Princess Olga came out to meet the icon, they would honor this sanctity in the same way! Because they are all filled with the Holy Spirit!,” he underscored.

It will be reminded on 30 July, the holiday of Sviatogorsk icon of the Mother of God, in the Holy Dormition Sviatogorsk Lavra festive divine worships were held before the revered miraculous icon.

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