On Thursday, September 28, the Holy Church celebrates the memory of the Venerable Fathers and God-pleasing saints of the Kiev Caves Lavra, reposing in the Near Caves.

During World War II, the monastery’s Dormition Cathedral was blown up by the Soviets. Fortunately, before this, many valuable holy things were saved from destruction, and after the war, a large tabernacle of relics from the Lavra was gifted to the monastery by refugee fathers. One of the first decisions made by His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Luke of Syracuse, upon becoming abbot of the monastery in 2008, was to establish a feast of the Kiev Caves Fathers in the monastery.

This year, the feast was especially poignant, as the brotherhood was blessed by the presence of Archimandrite Leontius (Tupkalo) from the Kiev Caves Lavra, who participated in the celebration of Divine Liturgy. Bishop Luke stated that the Lord Himself arranged this visit to fall on this feast precisely. Also quite remarkable is the fact that this brings to our attention the horrible suffering in Ukraine presently with the persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church ‒ a Church which has been present in that war-torn country for over one thousand years and is the largest Church and the traditional Faith of the majority of the people of Ukraine ‒ which is facing being outlawed by the current government.

After the Great Entrance, Bishop Luke ordained Deacon Theodore Foley to the priesthood. Priest Theodore is a third-year student in Holy Trinity Seminary’s Master’s Program and hopes to serve in a new mission in Alabama.