The Fore-feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ; Commemoration of the Consecration of the Holy Resurrection Patriarchal Sobor; Holy Martyr Eusignius (360-63)
Hebrews 3:1-14; Matthew 16:13-18
A day when the faithful are highly encouraged to participate in the Divine Liturgy. Dormition Fast. Abstinence from meat and foods that contain meat.
Read Hebrews 3:1-14
Today we commemorate the Consecration of the Holy Resurrection Patriarchal Sobor in Kyiv, Ukraine—the main cathedral of our Church. This is a momentous occasion in the life of our Church. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church has suffered much over the last four hundred years—especially in the last century when communist authorities in the USSR made it the largest illegal religious organisation in the world. Countless martyrs were faithful even to death for the love of Christ and his Church—the house, which He built. While millions of faithful Ukrainian Catholics fled persecution and were scattered throughout the world. This malicious and relentless attempt by the evil-one to annihilate the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church for many years seemed to have been successful. Then just as with our Lord’s death, when the apostles lost all hope, the unexpected occurred: Resurrection. Today we commemorate and stand in awe of the truth of the Gospel: The way of the Cross leads to Life. We proclaim this on only as a Divine teaching, but as a living testimony that those who faithfully hold fast in confidence and hope will not be disappointed. The house that our heavenly High Priest Jesus Christ built will stand unto ages of ages. Nothing is more powerful than the One who holds all things in his hands. The Patriarchal Sobor is not only the unifying symbol of our global Church but, more importantly, a testament to the Truth of the Gospel message.