55 years of monastic path: the UOC celebrates the anniversary of the tonsure of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphrius

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church solemnly celebrates the 55th anniversary of the monastic tonsure of its Primate, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kyiv and All Ukraine. For decades of service, the archpastor has gone from a novice of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra to the Supreme Patriarch, always remaining faithful to monastic vows and church canons.

According to the UOC Information Center, March 18 marked 55 years since the future head of the UOC, then a young novice Orest Berezovsky, renounced the world in 1971. The rite of tonsure was performed by Archimandrite Barnabas (Kedrov), dean of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. The future archpastor assumed the angelic image with the name in honor of the Monk Onufrius the Great, which determined his further spiritual ministry.

The monastic path of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphrius is marked by important milestones: from responsible obedience in the Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra to the administration of Pochaev Lavra in 1988. In 1990 he was elected Bishop of Chernovtsy and Bukovina. Vladyka showed particular steadfastness in 1992, when he resolutely opposed the anti-canonical actions of Metropolitan Filaret Denysenko. on August 13, 2014, the Council of Bishops of the UOC elected him as its Primate.

His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphrius himself has repeatedly emphasized that in any high rank he considers himself first of all a «humble monk». The example of the Archpastor’s personal prayerful work remains an important guideline for the faithful: even in the current difficult times, he continues to tonsure new residents of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery, thus strengthening the spiritual foundation of the Church.