18 January 2026
Dear brothers and sisters!
I wholeheartedly greet you on the great and saving Feast of the Baptism of the Lord — Holy Theophany!
On this day, we refer to an event in which the path of God to man is revealed with special clarity. Christ enters the waters of the Jordan not because He Himself needs purification — He is sinless. He enters where human pain, sin, and infirmity have been concentrated in order to take them on Himself and cure them. He stands beside us lest man should ever be alone in the face of trials again.
Today, we feel this Gospel image particularly acutely. Our long-suffering land is going through sorrows, which wound souls, exhaust strength, and sow fear. There are too many lies and too much pressure around and attempts to take the wind out of our sails, deprive us of our foundation — spiritual, human, historical. In such moments, it is easy to harden, withdraw into oneself, or lose hope.
But the Feast of Theophany reminds us about the main thing: when God touches this world, the world is transformed. Water which receives Christ becomes Great Agiasma. It does not lose its power with time, it sanctifies and heals. That is a quiet yet firm indication: no outer evil can be victorious where Grace dwells.
The Orthodox faith of Christ can be persecuted, there can be attempts to replace it with a counterfeit, to drive it out of society, it can be declared 'alien' or 'wrong'. But the Holy Spirit cannot be legislatively banned. Living prayer cannot be deprived of its power. And the fact that today, a great multitude of people, in spite of intimidations and obstacles, crowd churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church so as to partake of Christ and get Agiasma speaks louder than any words. The people feel with their hearts where the Truth is.
We will have to live through this time one way or another. Let us do it worthily. Without letting darkness into our hearts. Without dirtying our souls with hatred. With keeping faithfulness to our Mother Church, love and respect for each other, and responsibility before God and our own conscience.
May the Lord enter the waters of our lives as well. May He sanctify our thoughts, wash fear off our hearts, strengthen us in the truth, and give us strength to remain people — even when it seems impossible.
I wish you strength of spirit, physical health, family warmth, and blessed peace for our native land!
Happy Feast!
All related news I wholeheartedly greet you on the great and saving Feast of the Baptism of the Lord — Holy Theophany!
On this day, we refer to an event in which the path of God to man is revealed with special clarity. Christ enters the waters of the Jordan not because He Himself needs purification — He is sinless. He enters where human pain, sin, and infirmity have been concentrated in order to take them on Himself and cure them. He stands beside us lest man should ever be alone in the face of trials again.
Today, we feel this Gospel image particularly acutely. Our long-suffering land is going through sorrows, which wound souls, exhaust strength, and sow fear. There are too many lies and too much pressure around and attempts to take the wind out of our sails, deprive us of our foundation — spiritual, human, historical. In such moments, it is easy to harden, withdraw into oneself, or lose hope.
But the Feast of Theophany reminds us about the main thing: when God touches this world, the world is transformed. Water which receives Christ becomes Great Agiasma. It does not lose its power with time, it sanctifies and heals. That is a quiet yet firm indication: no outer evil can be victorious where Grace dwells.
The Orthodox faith of Christ can be persecuted, there can be attempts to replace it with a counterfeit, to drive it out of society, it can be declared 'alien' or 'wrong'. But the Holy Spirit cannot be legislatively banned. Living prayer cannot be deprived of its power. And the fact that today, a great multitude of people, in spite of intimidations and obstacles, crowd churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church so as to partake of Christ and get Agiasma speaks louder than any words. The people feel with their hearts where the Truth is.
We will have to live through this time one way or another. Let us do it worthily. Without letting darkness into our hearts. Without dirtying our souls with hatred. With keeping faithfulness to our Mother Church, love and respect for each other, and responsibility before God and our own conscience.
May the Lord enter the waters of our lives as well. May He sanctify our thoughts, wash fear off our hearts, strengthen us in the truth, and give us strength to remain people — even when it seems impossible.
I wish you strength of spirit, physical health, family warmth, and blessed peace for our native land!
Happy Feast!
