Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and all Ukraine led a thanksgiving service at the historic wooden Ascension Church in the village of Baranivtsi in the Sambir district of the Lviv region, marking the 100th anniversary of the church’s construction.
Continuing the celebrations of the Feast of the Ascension, the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine joined local clergy and faithful in prayer, honoring what he described as the “unshakable faith” of the ancestors who built and preserved the church through difficult times.
“With special spiritual joy, we offered thanksgiving prayers in this ancient wooden church, celebrating the centenary of this beautiful Ascension Church,” Metropolitan Epifaniy said. “For one hundred years, prayer to the Lord has resounded within its walls, and generations of Ukrainians have found comfort, spiritual strength, and hope here.”
The Metropolitan emphasized that the Church continues to preserve the same apostolic and Orthodox faith handed down from Christ to the Apostles and maintained throughout Ukrainian history despite wars, persecutions, and challenges.
“Despite all turbulent events and all the trials faced by the Ukrainian people and the local Orthodox Church throughout history, we preserve and testify to the same evangelical and apostolic Orthodox faith,” he said, recalling the Christian heritage brought to the lands of Kyivan Rus’ by Saint Andrew the First-Called and embraced during the Baptism of Rus’ under Saint Vladimir the Great.
Addressing the faithful of the parish, Metropolitan Epifaniy encouraged them to continue growing spiritually and drawing inspiration from the message of the Ascension of Christ.
“May the blessing of Christ and the grace of the Holy Spirit remain with all of you, uniting you with the Heavenly Father for eternal life,” he concluded.
