In Chernivtsi, 1,000 UOC faithful gather for Christmas evening of carols
Christmas chant and shared prayer united the laity and clergy of the UOC in Bukovyna’s principal church.
On January 11, 2026, a Christmas evening of carols took place at the Holy Spirit Cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Chernivtsi, bringing together about 1,000 faithful. This was reported on the official Facebook page of the Chernivtsi–Bukovyna Eparchy of the UOC.
The festive gathering featured the cathedral choirs, clergy, and numerous parishioners. Through the joint singing of Christmas carols, the faithful glorified Christ who is born.
An archpastoral address was delivered to the congregation by the head of the Chernivtsi–Bukovyna Eparchy of the UOC, Metropolitan Meletiy of Chernivtsi and Bukovyna. The hierarch recalled that for centuries the Ukrainian people have turned to God with prayers for mercy and grace.
He noted that during these Christmas days the faithful glorify the Christ Child and lift up prayers for their homeland and for their native Bukovyna, asking the Lord for salvation and well-being.
According to the archpastor, their forebears believed that wherever Christmas carols are sung, God’s blessing abides. This tradition, the metropolitan emphasized, continues today, uniting prayer with church song.
Metropolitan Meletiy also called on the faithful to turn to God in prayer, asking for His blessing and for peace and calm to come upon Ukrainian land.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that His Beatitude presided at the Divine Liturgy in Feofania on the feast day of St. Bonifatius.
