On January 7, the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epiphanius plans to hold a divine service on the occasion of Christmas at the Holy Dormition Cathedral of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. This was reported by the press service of the OCU.
It is noted that this will be the first ever liturgy of the primate of the autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.
“After receiving the appropriate permission, we inform the faithful and the public that the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and Hieroarchimandrite of the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Epiphanius, will celebrate the festive Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the Nativity of Christ on January 7, 2023. The service starts at 9 am,” the message says.
Recall that the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra was registered with the OCU.
The day before, a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council was held, at which the ties of individual religious circles in Ukraine with Russia were considered. The Cabinet of Ministers was instructed to propose to the Verkhovna Rada to ban the activities of religious organizations affiliated with centers of influence in Russia in Ukraine. It was about the UOC-MP.