The faithful and clergy of UOC devote Christmas holidays to works of mercy (PHOTO, VIDEO)

The youth and pupils of Sunday schools, led by diocesan clergy of the UOC, congratulated on the Nativity of Christ the disadvantaged people – orphans, lonely elderly, the sick and prisoners – with holiday concerts, nativity scenes and presents, reports the Information and Education Department of the UOC.

In the Kharkov region, on January 9, 2017, Metropolitan Onufry of Kharkov and Bogodukhov together with Archbishop Alexander of Gorodnitsa visited Kharkov regional specialized orphanage №1. His Grace congratulated children and teachers on the nativity of Christ and gave the children sweet gifts.

In the Sumy region, Archbishop Eulogy of Sumy and Okhtyrka visited a parish home for the elderly in the village of Kamenka, Trostianets district, which houses 25 people with disabilities and the elderly. In other localities the disadvantaged were greeted by the missionary diocese department and pupils of Sunday schools.

In the Odessa region on the feast day, December 7, after the Divine Liturgy, in spite of the bad weather, Metropolitan Agaphangel of Odessa and Izmail visited Children's hospital №3 to bring young patients the glad tidings of a Savior born in the world. His Eminence visited all departments of the medical institution, went into each ward and congratulated all the children on Christmas. His Grace also gave each child holiday gifts – sweets, toys and stationery sets.

January 8, clerics of the Odessa diocese archpriests John Polishchuk and Dmitry Pisarsky, together with the Orthodox youth, visited Professor L.I. Aleynikov City Hospital № 3 of Odessa. The priests congratulated the staff of the medical institution on the Nativity of Christ and visited hospital wards, where they gave Christmas greetings and gifts to 130 patients.

The next day, the rector of the St. Sergius of Radonezh Cathdral Archpriest Sergiy Kudarenko visited the Odessa orphanage. The cleric wished the staff and 130 pupils of the institution Merry Christmas and gave gifts to the children. The pupils of the Sunday school of the St. Sergius parish organized a festive performance for the orphans.

On the feast of the nativity of Christ, January 7, the pupils of the Sunday school of St. Seraphim of Sarov’s Church of the Kiev Metropolis held a concert at the psycho-neurological clinic in Puscha-Voditsa.

In the Poltava region the Orthodox of St. Nicholas’s brotherhood with the support of the social department of the Kremenchug diocese and in cooperation with the pupils of the Sunday school at the Holy Trinity parish congratulated orphans in an orphanage and a rehabilitation center, military men, undergoing treatment in the hospital, and minor prisoners in a penal colony with Christmas carols, concert and gifts.

In the city of Energodar of the Zaporozhie diocese, on January 7, rector of the St. Luke the Crimean Church Archpriest Georgy Gnatiuk, together with the Orthodox youth of the parish, visited large families with minors and the elderly people, sang Christmas carols and presented sweet gifts. On January 9, with the blessing of Metropolitan Luke of Zaporozhie and Melitopol, a cleric of the Pokrovsky Cathedral, priest Anatoly Revtov congratulated on the Nativity of Christ patients of a military hospital.

Young parishioners of Mukachevo caroled to patients of the Onco-Hematology Department of the regional children's hospital, visited ATO soldiers and large families, as well as senior citizens living alone.

At Christmas time, the deputy head of the Department of Charity and Social Ministry of the Diocese of Kirovograd Archpriest John Shemediuk, together with the chairman of the NGO of parents who have children with disabilities "Mother's Heart" and volunteers, visited with carols and presents families with children with special needs.

The Kherson diocese summed up the results of the charity action "Make a gift to an orphan", which has lasted from December 19, St. Nicholas Day. In total during the action period, 664 children from children's homes and boarding schools for children with disabilities, orphans and children from low-income families with many children received gifts.

In Volnovakha , the Donetsk region, rector of the Church of the Icon of Our Lady Sergiy Rzhevskij congratulated young patients, their parents and medical staff the children's department of the Volnovakha district hospital on the Nativity of Christ with sweet gifts.