Archbishop of Prague awards bishops of Rovno Eparchy with church orders

Archbishop Michael handed church awards to the clergy of Rovno Eparchy. Photo: press service of Rovno Eparchy of the UOC

On May 30, 2019, on the day of the memory of the Mezhirich icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giver", Archbishop Michael (Dandar) of Prague and All the Czech Lands, with the blessing of Metropolitan Bartholomew (Vashchuk) of Rovno and Ostrog, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Holy Trinity male monastery in Mezhirich. It is reported by the press service of the Rovno Eparchy of the UOC.

Archbishop Alexander of Gorodnitsa, Bishop Dionysius (Konstantinov), Bishop Pimen of Dubno, the abbot of Mezhirich monastery, Archimandrite Theodore (Melnichuk), as well as numerous clergymen concelebrated His Eminence at the divine service. Believers and priests from Rovno, Volyn and Khmelnitsky regions gathered in prayer to honor the Mother of God on the day of memory of the miraculous icon.

At the end of the service, Metropolitan Bartholomew addressed the crowd having congratulated all those who attended the holiday and thanked Archbishop Michael and all the bishops for communal prayer.

Archbishop Michael, in turn, also congratulated all those present, thanking the ruling bishop of Rovno eparchy for the opportunity to pray together. In his speech, His Eminence expressed full support to the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, wishing peace and harmony to the Church and the Ukrainian state.

His Eminence Michael awarded the bishops of the Rovno Eparchy with orders of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, abbot of the monastery Archimandrite Theodore and Archimandrite Dean Nikon were awarded the Medal of Cyril Equal-to-the-Apostles.

In memory of the festive divine service, Father Theodore gifted Archbishop Michael of Prague with the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Mezhirich".

At the end of the celebration, the clergy and believers held a traditional crowded religious procession across the territory of the monastery.

As reported by the UOC Information and Education Department, on June 2, 6th week following Easter, the hierarch of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, Archbishop Michael, will lead the liturgy at St. George Cathedral of Rovno and on June 3 – in the Holy Protection nunnery of Goshcha town.

Recall, on February 20, 2019, Michael (Dandar), an Archbishop of Prague and the Czech Lands, issued a decree "On the Permission to Serve the Holy Liturgy with the Clergy of Foreign Dioceses", which clearly defined the OCU as a non-canonical structure with which "neither the ministry nor access to the Holy Communion can occur in the land of the Prague Orthodox Diocese".

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