Rivne Eparchy honors miraculous 'Pantanassa' Icon of Theotokos

Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary, Chancellor of the UOC, and Metropolitan Pimen of Rivne and Ostroh celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the St. George metochion of the Horodok Monastery on the day of the veneration of the “Pantanassa” Icon of the Mother of God, the Rivne Eparchy reports.

The two UOC hierarchs were joined by Archpriest Viktor Zemlianyi, secretary of the Rivne Eparchy, as well as the monastery clergy and numerous visiting clergy. During the service, the monastery sisters, clergy and pilgrims prayed for peace in Ukraine and asked the Most Holy Theotokos to protect soldiers on the front lines and bring comfort to all who are suffering and ill.

After the Gospel reading, Metropolitan Anthony delivered a sermon on the spiritual significance of the miraculous icon. The hierarch reminded the faithful that the main purpose of a person’s earthly journey is to prepare for the meeting with the Lord. He urged Christians to ask the Queen of Heaven not only for earthly well-being, but above all for help in remaining faithful to God.

“The true death that a person should fear is the separation of the soul from God,” Metropolitan Anthony stressed.

After the Liturgy, clergy, nuns and laypeople held a procession around the church with the monastery’s sacred objects. The hierarchs then performed the blessing of water and sprinkled the pilgrims with holy water. Many believers came to the monastery that day to pray before the miraculous image of their Heavenly Intercessor.

As previously reported by the UOJ, the Rivne Eparchy recreated a lost miraculous Icon of the Mother of God.