Consecration of the Cathedral in Bolgrad
His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry and his Beatitude Theodoros II consecrated the Cathedral in Bolgrad.
The rite of consecration of the reconstructed Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral was made on 30 September 2018, in the framework of festive events dedicated to the celebration 1030-anniversary of the Baptism of Rus and the 180-anniversary of the Cathedral, the press service of the Odessa diocese.
His Beatitude Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa Theodoros II and his Beatitude Metropolitan of Kyiv and all Ukraine Onufry made a joint Liturgy at the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral.
Before the divine Liturgy, the rite of blessing and procession around the Cathedral with the relics of martyrs Maximus, Victor and Vincent.
The primates his Beatitude made in the renovated temple the divine Liturgy. They concelebrated with the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, Metropolitan of Chisinau and all Moldova Vladimir, Metropolitan of Odessa and Izmail Agafangel, Metropolitan of Varna and Veliki Preslav John (Bulgarian Orthodox Church), Metropolitan Niphon Palaciosi (Antiochian Orthodox Church), Metropolitan of Donetsk and Mariupol Hilarion, Metropolitan of Luhansk and Alchevsk Mitrophan, Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary, Metropolitan Khmelnitsky and starokonstantinovsky Anthony, Metropolitan of Kherson and Tauride John, Metropolitan of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas, Metropolitan of Izyum and Kupyansk Elisha, Metropolitan Kirovogoradskogo and Novomirgorodsky Joasaph, Metropolitan of Horlivka and Slavic Mitrofan, Metropolitan of Sumy and Okhtyrka evlohiy, Archbishop of Lviv and Halych Filaret, Archbishop Banchensky Longin, Archbishop of Nizhyn and Pryluky Clement, Bishop of Ungheni and Nisporeni Peter, the Bishop’s’kyi Arkady, Bishop of yuzhnensky Diodorus, Bishop of Artsyz Victor, Bishop of Bolgrad Sergius, Bishop of Belgorod Sylvester.
Praying at the service were numerous clergy, monastics of the diocese of Odessa and thousands of residents of the City.
After reading the gospel, his Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry addressed worshippers with a sermon. He told the congregation of Bolgrad about the meaning of human life and of Christian heroism, citing the example of the life of the Holy martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sophia.
After the Liturgy his Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry thanked Patriarch Theodore II ascended them prayers for the people of Ukraine. In turn, Patriarch Theodore I addressed to the assembled clergy and faithful with words of encouragement in times of trials that befell the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
On behalf of the Bulgarian Patriarch Neophyte welcome speech was read out by his representative at the celebrations of the Metropolitan of Varna and Veliki Preslav John. He stressed the enormous contribution of Metropolitan of Odessa and Izmail Agafangel to the spiritual needs of Orthodox Bulgarians that make up the thousands of Diaspora on the territory of Bessarabia.
At the end of the service, Metropolitan Agafangel thanked the primates and the many guests who arrived in the city from different corners of the globe.
As reported by PWC, informed his Beatitude Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa, Theodoros II on September 27 arrived in Odessa with a friendly visit. After the prayer service in the Odessa Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral, the Primate of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church addressed the faithful with a call to remain faithful to the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.