Czech hierarch: We expect to meet again and concelebrate with UOC Primate

Archbishop George and parishioners of the OCCLS Cathedral in the city of Kosice (Slovakia). Photo: screenshot of youtube channel of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

On the eve of Easter, the hierarch of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, Archbishop George of Michalovce and Kosice, sent congratulations to the canonical Primate, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine and the flock of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

The Easter greetings of the hierarch were published by the Information and Education Department of the UOC.

Archbishop George noted that for more than a year the whole world has been tormented by the coronavirus epidemic, but at the same time God-saved Ukraine has been bearing its own cross.

“In the world we all confess the Way of the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, going through this difficult time. But relying on the word of God, pronounced at the appearance of the Holy Cross of the Lord under the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine the Great ‘In hoc signo vinces’, we firmly believe and know that if we manage to crucify our sufferings on the Cross of the Lord, then after each crucification there is a resurrection. Only after suffering, when a person is crucified together with Christ, there comes the Resurrection.

On this occasion, today, on Great and Holy Monday, at the very beginning of Holy Week, here in Slovakia, in the cathedral of the Orthodox city of Kosice, we want to congratulate His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine – the canonical Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – and his flock, entrusted to him by God, on the upcoming Most Serene Triumph of the Victory of the Lord Jesus Christ over death, fear, illness, sin,” said the hierarch.

Sharing joy and hope together with Orthodox brothers from Ukraine, Archbishop George emphasized that he is looking forward to meeting and having a service with His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphy, “to concelebrate with you, Your Beatitude, and be blessed with your words.”

“On this occasion, already anticipating the arrival of the Feast, we take off the mask and happily say to you and everyone: 'Christ is Risen!'” the bishops and the faithful of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia concluded their Easter address.

We will remind that earlier the Primate of the OCCLS congratulated His Beatitude Onuphry on the 50th anniversary of the monastic tonsure, wishing him strength, fortitude and intercession of all "reverend fathers who shone in monasticism".

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