A church is consecrated in Gorlovka to the sound of explosions

Gorlovka, Ukraine, July 24, 2014

On July 21, on the Feast of the Appearance of the Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God, the ceremony of the consecration of the Church of our Lady of Kazan in the “Komsomolets” housing development in the city of Gorlovka (Horlivka) took place, relates the site of the Gorlovsk and Slaviansk Diocese.

A revered copy of the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God arrived at the church on eve of the feast.

The rite of the consecration of the church was performed by Metropolitan Hilarion of Donetsk and Mariupol, by Archbishop Mitrophan of Slaviansk, and Bishop Barnabas of Makeyevka, concelebrating with a great number of clergy from the Gorlovsk Diocese. Hundreds of people from Gorlovka came to attend the momentous event in the life of the city and to pray in the newly-consecrated church before the Pochaev Icon of the Theotokos.

After the consecration of the church, a hierarchical Divine Liturgy was served.

At the end of the service Metropolitan Hilarion of Donetsk and Mariupol addressed the people of Gorlovka with an archpastoral homily:

“We are performing the Rite of Consecration in times that are difficult for us and in difficult conditions. As we were going around the church with the Holy Antimins, we heard explosions. We see what is happening today in our land, in our Orthodox Donbass[i]… We haven’t been thinking about what “peace” is, although we hear the priest address the people with “Peace be unto all” several times after every service. Today we know the value of peace.

    

“Today we glorify the Most Holy Virgin Mary. We have here today the revered Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God, Who has always been our Protectress and our Boast . It is our hope for the best, and the comforting of our suffering people. She is here today among us in order to comfort us, to bring us to our senses and to call us to repentance. Today, dear brothers and sisters, there is only one thing left for us: to pray earnestly and to repent of our sins. We believe that the Lord and the Mother of God will be quick to help us, we believe that the fratricide — the sin of Cain, which is increasing today in our people — will cease.”

    

In his speech, in return, Archbishop Mitrophan thanked Metropolitan Hilarion and Bishop Barnabas for their visit and for the first joint prayer in the new church. He noted the following:

“Not all times are alike — there are nice, good times and there are hard times, when the Lord sends trials. The Lord gives us the good times so that we can build and be grateful to Him, and the difficult times to test us and for spiritual growth.”

On this day, Archpriest Vladimir Turenko, secretary of the Gorlovsk Diocese, dean of the St. Nicholas Deanery in Gorlovka, and rector of the St. Nicholas Cathedral, celebrated his 60th birthday. Metropolitan Hilarion of Donetsk and Mariupol congratulated him in the name of all the people who were gathered there, wishing him robust health, long years, and God’s blessing in his labors in the fields of the Church.

  

    

    

    

    

    

[i] “Donbass” = Donetsk Basin

Pravoslavie.ru

7/25/2014

See also
Donbass Won't Forgive Kiev for Murders of Civilians, UOC Spokesman Believes Donbass Won't Forgive Kiev for Murders of Civilians, UOC Spokesman Believes Donbass Won't Forgive Kiev for Murders of Civilians, UOC Spokesman Believes Donbass Won't Forgive Kiev for Murders of Civilians, UOC Spokesman Believes
The head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Press Service, Vasily Anisimov, criticizes the Kiev authorities for military actions in Eastern Ukraine.
Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh Damaged By Shelling on Its Feast Day Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh Damaged By Shelling on Its Feast Day Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh Damaged By Shelling on Its Feast Day Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh Damaged By Shelling on Its Feast Day
On July 18, the feast day of the finding of the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh, a church in honor of St. Sergius of Radonezh in Lugansk on Krasnoznamennskaya Street was damaged during a church service as a result of a shell attack by the Ukrainian army.
Days of mourning declared in Lugansk region and Donbass in connection with the civilians’ death Days of mourning declared in Lugansk region and Donbass in connection with the civilians’ death Days of mourning declared in Lugansk region and Donbass in connection with the civilians’ death Days of mourning declared in Lugansk region and Donbass in connection with the civilians’ death
On Saturday, July 12, residential houses in the private sector of the Donetsk’s Petrovsky district became a target of artillery shelling. According to the regional administration, 6 people were killed and 8 injured, including one teenager. As a result of shelling of Maryinka (a suburb of Donetsk) 6 more civilians were killed and 4 injured.
“God is testing our Christianity.” Helping the displaced and needy “God is testing our Christianity.” Helping the displaced and needy “God is testing our Christianity.” Helping the displaced and needy “God is testing our Christianity.” Helping the displaced and needy
With the town’s population of 4,000 residents, Svyatogorsk has already received about 25,000 refugees. 470 people are currently accommodated on the territory of the Svyatogorsk Lavra, with 201 children among them. The youngest refugee is 1 week old and the oldest one is 95. The people have gathered here in great number, hoping for the help of God and the Protection of the Mother of God—the Abbess of this holy place.
St. Olga's Convent in Lugansk damaged from shelling, sisters evacuated St. Olga's Convent in Lugansk damaged from shelling, sisters evacuated St. Olga's Convent in Lugansk damaged from shelling, sisters evacuated St. Olga's Convent in Lugansk damaged from shelling, sisters evacuated
After the first volleys the convent sisters and clergy stopped the reading of Akathists and services of need and managed to get to the bomb shelter. There they spent three bad hours in anxiety and prayer. The violent shaking of the walls and ceiling of the shelter showed just how powerful and close the explosions were.
Ukrainian artillery shells convent in Lugansk Ukrainian artillery shells convent in Lugansk Ukrainian artillery shells convent in Lugansk Ukrainian artillery shells convent in Lugansk
On July 4, 2014, a little past 3 AM the Ukrainian army, coming very close to Lugansk, fired artillery against the regional clinical oncological dispensary of Lugansk, where the St. Olga’s Convent is located.
Comments
Here you can leave your comment on the present article, not exceeding 4000 characters. All comments will be read by the editors of OrthoChristian.Com.
Enter through FaceBook
Your name:
Your e-mail:
Enter the digits, seen on picture:

Characters remaining: 4000

Subscribe
to our mailing list

* indicates required
×