Epiphany: Apostle Andrew the First-Called – the founder of OCU

Head of the OCU Epiphany Dumenko. Photo: Facebook

A special gift from the Patriarchate of Constantinople, the relics of the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, the founder of the Ukrainian Church, will arrive in Ukraine on the anniversary of the Baptism of Rus, the “primate” of the OCU Epiphany Dumenko said in an interview with the “Religion Truth”

He said that on the celebration day the OCU will perform a solemn "divine service" in "the place special for Ukrainian Orthodoxy" – St. Sophia’s Cathedral.

“The Unification Council was held at St. Sophia’s, this is such a symbolic place, we served there for the first time at Christmas when the Tomos of autocephaly was brought, and my enthronement as Primate took place, therefore this place is special for our Orthodox Church,” Dumenko said. “This is the historic seat for the metropolitans; therefore, the festive divine service will take place on the territory of this outstanding for Ukrainian Orthodoxy monument, which is also a spiritual historical center.”

He added that after the festive "liturgy" and "thanksgiving prayer" on the Vladimir Hill, the celebrations of the OCU will end at St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery, to which a gift from the Patriarch of Constantinople, the relics of St. Andrew the First-Called, must be delivered.

“I think that the relics of one of the great holy founders of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (so Epiphany calls the OCU – Ed.) – the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, as a gift from our Mother-Church will be delivered for this day, so that we, Orthodox Ukrainians, can honour our founder. It is only for a certain period of time, with the blessing of the Ecumenical Patriarch, that such an opportunity will be given to venerate the honest relics of the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called. They will arrive on the eve, probably on July 27; on July 28, they will be with us at St. Sophia’s, then they will stay at St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery in the cathedral for several days,” concluded Epiphany.

As the UOJ reported, this year a delegation of the Constantinople Patriarchate will arrive in Ukraine to celebrate the anniversary of the Baptism of Rus together with the OCU.

Earlier, Epiphany, commenting on the Phanar’s lifting anathema from Filaret, accidentally called the words of Christ in the Gospel of John a proverb: “As they say, the Spirit works where it must work, where He wants. There is even a proverb: 'The Spirit breathes where it wants'."

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