Monastic tonsure of students of Kyivan theological schools takes place in Kyiv Cave Monastery

on March 9, 2026, a significant event for the Orthodox community of Ukraine took place at the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. In the church of St. Agapit, the rector of the Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary, Archbishop Sylvester of Bila Tserkva, performed monastic tonsure for four students and pupils of Kyiv theological schools. This event marks the beginning of a new spiritual path for the newly tonsured monks, who, after the tonsure, went on a three-day prayerful retreat.

According to the UOC Information and Education Department, citing the press service of the KDA, second-year master’s students of the KDA Denis Nebronchuk and Konstantin Pecherytsia, as well as 4th grade students of the KDS Dmitry Ivanishko and 2nd grade students of the KDS Vladislav Omelchuk were tonsured. During the tonsure, each of them received a new name:

• Denis Nebronchuk was tonsured with the name Ambrose, in honor of the holy confessor Ambrose, Metropolitan of Moshonissia.
• Kostiantyn Pecherytsia was named Hierotheus, in honor of St. Hierotheus, Bishop of Ostroh, whose feast day is celebrated on April 30.
• Dmytro Ivanashko was named Justin, in honor of St. Justin, Bishop of Ufa, whose feast day is celebrated on December 28.
• Vladyslav Omelchuk was named Demetrius, in honor of St. Demetrius, Metropolitan of Rostov, whose feast day is November 10.

The spiritual director of the newly tonsured monks – Ambrose, Hierotheus, Hierotheus, Justin, and Demetrius – was the confessor of the Kyiv Theological Schools, Bishop Panteleimon (Melnyk) of Baturyn.

After the tonsure, Archbishop Sylvester addressed the newly-made monks with a word of spiritual guidance. He emphasized the inner meaning of the monastic feat, the importance of humility and the need for constant spiritual growth on their path. Concluding his address, Bishop Sylvester called upon God’s blessing on the newly tonsured.

According to the established tradition, all those present congratulated the new monks, after which the newly tonsured monks, together with the academic brethren and students, went to the Academic Church of St. John Damascene, located in the Holy Protection Monastery in Holosiiv. Here they will spend three days in prayerful seclusion, delving into their new ministry.

Earlier, we reported that the mother of the OCU hierarch took the great penance in a convent of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.