Metropolitan Augustine from Ukraine Celebrates at the Geneva Cathedral | Митрополит Августин посетил кафедральный собор Женевы

On the 13th Sunday after Pentecost, the head of the Synodal Theological and Canonical Commission of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Moscow Patriarchate, His Eminence Metropolitan Augustine of Belotserkovsky and Boguslavsky, visited the Diocese’s Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Cross in Geneva, as part of a pilgrimage within Western Europe. At the invitation of His Grace Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe, Metropolitan Augustine headed the All-Night Vigil and Divine Liturgy, co-served by the Archpriests of the Cathedral, Fathers Paul Tsvetkov and Emilian Pochinok, togeher with the Very Revd Archimandrite Augustine (Morozov), who arrived from Italy, and other local clergy.

In his homily, interpreting the day’s appointed Gospel reading about the winegrower, His Eminence explained that all are laborers in the vineyard of Christ; and having received from the Lord talents and a purpose, each Christian must work diligently and prayerfully in the vineyard of this life, increasing these talents and seeking first and foremost the Kingdom of God and His righteousness — the chief calling of every Christian.

After the Divine Service, the Diocese’s distinguished guest presented a facsimile edition of the Old Russian Lutsk Gospel as a gift to the Diocese of Great Britain and Western Europe, wishing its clergy and fiathful spiritual fortitude in bearing testimony to Holy Orthodoxy in Western Europe. His Eminence also shared his warm impressions of his pilgrimage journey to the shrines and memorials of Switzerland, which included Andermatt, Saint-Maurice, Friborg and other locales, visits to which were made possible by the gracious assistance of  a cleric of the Cathedral Church, the Revd Deacon Vladimir Svistun.