07 April 2025
Dear brothers and sisters!
I wholeheartedly greet you on the Great Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. Today, we remember with special awe the day when Heaven and earth united, opening the path of salvation for people. For thousands of years, mankind awaited this news, generation after generation bore the common brunt of sin, losing hope to see Paradise again. On that day, hope revived: the Archangel Gabriel brought the Most Pure Virgin the good tidings that She had been chosen to become the Mother of the Saviour.
The fate of all mankind depended upon Her meek consent. Mary answered the calling of God with words in which the entirety of Her humility and love were expressed: 'Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.' In this humility and obedience is an example for each of us.
The Most Holy Theotokos has shown us an example of the highest spiritual freedom — freedom from sin, from passions, and from the vanity of this world. True freedom comes when man fully subordinates himself to the will of God, overcoming his weaknesses and gaining inner strength to resist any external circumstances. This freedom begins with trust in God, with sincere and complete acceptance of His will — like the Most Pure Virgin Mary did.
In hard times, when the usual order is destroyed, and people's hearts are filled with fear and confusion, the Lord sends to the world His special chosen people — those whose spiritual strength and courage surpass human understanding. These spiritual lamps are called to strengthen and inspire the people as well as help them to retain the discerning of good and evil and not to drown in the abyss of sin and hatred, so as to preserve themselves in history and, most importantly, in eternity before God.
His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon (Belavin), the 100th anniversary of whose death we also commemorate today, was one of such greatest ascetics. His archpastoral feat was in the most tragic years in the history of our Church. Back during his life, Patriarch Tikhon enjoyed the profound respect of the entire Christendom, preaching love and forgiveness amidst most severe persecution, incessantly calling people to peace, and condemning violence towards the Church.
The Holy Patriarch Tikhon was astonishingly simple and accessible, and he tried to assert the Church of Christ and strengthen everyone who turned to him through his prayer, love, and pastoral gentleness. His firm demand not to link the Church with any political movement or form of government in the conditions of a brutal war became a reason for accusations of being 'counter-revolutionary'. His tireless struggle against the campaign to open and take away holy relics, close monasteries, and seize ecclesiastical property and against the Renovationist schism made him an 'enemy of the people' in the eyes of the godless authorities, the part of the population fooled by propaganda, and even the Ecumenical Patriarch. He survived arrests, numerous interrogations, attempts at his life, and was, in fact, martyred by order.
A hundred years later, it is as if history is repeating a circle. In this tumultuous time, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy of Kiev and All Ukraine remains a spiritual beacon, a leader, who has firmly chosen one side in his life — Christ. He unites archpastors, pastors, and millions of parishioners of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, who are God-loving, faithful, and steadfast in the Truth.
And today, when we are faced with challenges resonating with an echo of tragic pages of the past, when people's hearts wait for peace especially acutely, may the Most Holy Theotokos fortify everyone who is bringing this long-awaited moment closer with his prayers, efforts, and good works. May She destroy the wiles of those who want the continuation of the insane, bloody war.
May the bright news of the Annunciation warm up our souls, strengthen our faith, and remind us: we are never alone. The Mother of God is always near — She hears us, stands up for us, and protects us from evil.
Dear brothers and sisters!
The Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos is a call to spiritual renewing, to beginning a new life with God in the heart. May the Heavenly Intercessor always be with us, with our families, with our Church, and with our people — covering us with Her Protecting Veil and giving us true peace.
Happy feast!
All related news I wholeheartedly greet you on the Great Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. Today, we remember with special awe the day when Heaven and earth united, opening the path of salvation for people. For thousands of years, mankind awaited this news, generation after generation bore the common brunt of sin, losing hope to see Paradise again. On that day, hope revived: the Archangel Gabriel brought the Most Pure Virgin the good tidings that She had been chosen to become the Mother of the Saviour.
The fate of all mankind depended upon Her meek consent. Mary answered the calling of God with words in which the entirety of Her humility and love were expressed: 'Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.' In this humility and obedience is an example for each of us.
The Most Holy Theotokos has shown us an example of the highest spiritual freedom — freedom from sin, from passions, and from the vanity of this world. True freedom comes when man fully subordinates himself to the will of God, overcoming his weaknesses and gaining inner strength to resist any external circumstances. This freedom begins with trust in God, with sincere and complete acceptance of His will — like the Most Pure Virgin Mary did.
In hard times, when the usual order is destroyed, and people's hearts are filled with fear and confusion, the Lord sends to the world His special chosen people — those whose spiritual strength and courage surpass human understanding. These spiritual lamps are called to strengthen and inspire the people as well as help them to retain the discerning of good and evil and not to drown in the abyss of sin and hatred, so as to preserve themselves in history and, most importantly, in eternity before God.
His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon (Belavin), the 100th anniversary of whose death we also commemorate today, was one of such greatest ascetics. His archpastoral feat was in the most tragic years in the history of our Church. Back during his life, Patriarch Tikhon enjoyed the profound respect of the entire Christendom, preaching love and forgiveness amidst most severe persecution, incessantly calling people to peace, and condemning violence towards the Church.
The Holy Patriarch Tikhon was astonishingly simple and accessible, and he tried to assert the Church of Christ and strengthen everyone who turned to him through his prayer, love, and pastoral gentleness. His firm demand not to link the Church with any political movement or form of government in the conditions of a brutal war became a reason for accusations of being 'counter-revolutionary'. His tireless struggle against the campaign to open and take away holy relics, close monasteries, and seize ecclesiastical property and against the Renovationist schism made him an 'enemy of the people' in the eyes of the godless authorities, the part of the population fooled by propaganda, and even the Ecumenical Patriarch. He survived arrests, numerous interrogations, attempts at his life, and was, in fact, martyred by order.
A hundred years later, it is as if history is repeating a circle. In this tumultuous time, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy of Kiev and All Ukraine remains a spiritual beacon, a leader, who has firmly chosen one side in his life — Christ. He unites archpastors, pastors, and millions of parishioners of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, who are God-loving, faithful, and steadfast in the Truth.
And today, when we are faced with challenges resonating with an echo of tragic pages of the past, when people's hearts wait for peace especially acutely, may the Most Holy Theotokos fortify everyone who is bringing this long-awaited moment closer with his prayers, efforts, and good works. May She destroy the wiles of those who want the continuation of the insane, bloody war.
May the bright news of the Annunciation warm up our souls, strengthen our faith, and remind us: we are never alone. The Mother of God is always near — She hears us, stands up for us, and protects us from evil.
Dear brothers and sisters!
The Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos is a call to spiritual renewing, to beginning a new life with God in the heart. May the Heavenly Intercessor always be with us, with our families, with our Church, and with our people — covering us with Her Protecting Veil and giving us true peace.
Happy feast!
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