UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE USA

CONSISTORY OFFICE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS


PRESS RELEASE

68th Annual UOL Convention Concludes – Celebrating the Life of Holy Equal-to-the-Apostle Prince Volodymyr the Great!

The 68th Annual UOL Convention came to a formal conclusion on Sunday, July 26, 2015, as the delegates gathered at Holy Assumption Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Northampton, PA for Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom concelebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Antony and His Grace Bishop Daniel – formally marking the 1000 anniversary of repose of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Volodymyr. Across the nation, numerous parishes of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA will be celebrating the life of St. Volodymyr on July 28^th – the calendar feast day; however, having gathered representatives from various UOL chapters and parishes from across the United States – the Council of Bishops of the Church designated the formal Church’s celebration on a Sunday prior to the feast day.

As the procession of clergy and hierarchs to the church took place, the icon of Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Volodymyr was carried by the seminarians of St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Theological Seminary. At the entrance to the church, the president of the Parish Board of Administration Martha Misko and Senior UOL President Michael Komichak and Junior UOL President Kateryna Kocelko presented the hierarchs with the traditional Ukrainian Bread and Salt. The pastor of the parish family Very Rev. Fr. Bazyl Zawierucha sincerely offered words of prayerful welcome to the Metropolitan and the Bishop, asking them to pray for the success of the numerous ministries of the Church’s central organization.

Joining His Eminence Metropolitan Antony and Bishop Daniel at the altar were spiritual fathers of the local and visiting parish communities: Very Rev. Bazyl Zawierucha, pastor of the Dormition (Assumption) of the Birth-Giver of God Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Northampton, PA; Very Rev. Fr. James Norton; Very Rev. Fr. Oleksandr Yatskiw; Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Perkins, pastor of Holy Archangel Michael Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Woonsocket, RI; Rev. Fr. Vasyl Sendeha, pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Palos Park, IL; Protodeacon Ihor Mahlay of St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Parma, OH; Protodeacon Mikhail Sawarynsky of the Dormition of the Birth-Giver of God Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Northampton, PA.

As the Liturgy progressed, over two hundred people approached the Chalice and received the Holy Eucharist at the Divine Liturgy. Parishioners from the local Ukrainian Orthodox communities as well as from other Orthodox jurisdictions participated in the services of the day.

At the conclusion of the service, His Grace Bishop Daniel called upon the newly elected executive boards of the Senior and Junior UOL to come forward in order to be presented to the His Eminence Metropolitan Antony, the Prime Hierarch of the UOC of the USA for a formal induction into their service in the life of the organization and the Church. Holding candles in their hands, the officers of the organization made a solemn promise to work for the Glory of God and the fulfillment of the mission of the organization: "Dedicated to the Church; Devoted to Her Youth!”

Immediately following the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy His Eminence Metropolitan Antony led a Moleben service to St. Volodymyr the Great, beseeching his intercession in front of the Altar of God for the peace and stability in the ancestral homeland of Ukraine for so many Ukrainian-American parishioners of the UOC of the USA. In his remarks, Vladyka Antony reflected upon the life of St. Volodymyr and his ability to open his personal heart and life to the saving Grace of Christ, while leading the entire nation of Kyiv Rus-Ukraine to the Light of the Savior.

A few moments later, His Eminence Metropolitan Antony called upon the delegates of Holy Ghost UOL Chapter from Coatesville, PA to come forward and to receive from the hands of the pastor of the cathedral’s community Very Rev. Fr. Bazyl Zawierucha a traveling icon of the Mother of God of Pochaiv, that will remain at Holy Ghost Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Coatesville, PA the entire year until the conclusion of the 69th Annual UOL Convention.

Following the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy and various presentations, the faithful venerated the Holy Cross from the hand of their Metropolitan and joined each other in a parish’s parish social hall for a farewell brunch prepared by the local UOL chapter and the entire parish congregation.

The next 69th Annual Ukrainian Orthodox League Convention is scheduled to take place in Coatesville, PA, hosted by Holy Ghost UOL Chapters on 27-31 July, 2016!

 Read about the Opening of the 68th UOL Convention – Day 1!

Read about the 68th UOL Convention – Day 2!