2000 believers of UOC go on pilgrimage to the Holy Land

Thousands of Ukrainians have gone on a traditional pilgrimage to the Holy Land thanks to the pilgrimage centre of the UOC. On September 18, a pilgrimage to the shrines of Israel started, according to the Information and Education Department of the UOC.

Dozens of organized groups, and this year more than 2,000 pilgrims, will visit the Holy Land.

On September 19, an official delegation of the UOC headed by Metropolitan Luke of Zaporozhie and Melitopol set off as part of one of the groups.

Immediately after the arrival of the Ukrainian delegation to the Holy Land, in the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, there was a meeting of His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem and All Palestine and Metropolitan Luke, who, with the blessing of the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, represents numerous clergymen and laity from Ukraine who have arrived in Israel these days.

The pilgrims will visit all holy places connected with the events of the earthly life of Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin. With the blessing of Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, priests of the UOC will take part in divine services at the Jerusalem Church of the Resurrection of Christ, the Bethlehem Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and other holy places of Israel.