Metropolitan Onuphry leads celebration of 25th anniversary of canonization of St. Kuksha of Odessa

St. Kuksha of Odessa is a beloved 20th-century saint of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church who labored in asceticism on the Holy Mountain, in the Holy Land, in the Kiev Caves Lavra, the Pochaev Lavra, and elsewhere in Ukraine. He was canonized by the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Church in 1995.

He is commemorated on the day of his repose, December 11/24, and the day of the uncovering of his relics, September 16/29.

This year, the Ukrainian Church festively celebrated the 25th anniversary of his glorification and the 195th anniversary of the founding of the Holy Dormition Monastery in Odessa where his holy relics repose with a Divine Liturgy celebrated by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, reports the Information-Education Department of the Ukrainian Church.

The feast began the night before with All-Night Vigil at the monastery, with a litiya led by His Eminence Metropolitan Arseny of Svyatogorsk, the abbot of the Holy Dormition-Svyatogorsk Lavra.

Before the Liturgy, the beloved primate was greeted at the gates of the monastery by hierarchs, clergy, residents of the monastery, and thousands of faithful who arrived for the feast.

Met. Onuphry was concelebrated in the Divine Liturgy by 17 other hierarchs of the Ukrainian Church, including the local hierarch, His Eminence Metropolitan Agafangel of Odessa and Izmail, and various local and visiting clergy.

During the Small Entrance, His Grace Bishop Viktor of Artsyz was raised to the dignity of archbishop, and liturgical awards were presented to clergy of the Odessa Diocese.

Following the Divine Liturgy, Met. Onuphry and the hierarchs and clergy led a procession with the relics of St. Kuksha. His Beatitude also consecrated a new church at the monastery in honor of St. Matrona of Moscow.

Source: Orthochristian.com