On Sunday, when the Church solemnly celebrated the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross, our parish gathered in prayer to honor the power of the Cross — the sign of victory, salvation, and eternal life.
Before the Divine Liturgy, the Cross was solemnly carried out for veneration. During the Liturgy, our pastor, Fr. Roman Bobesiuk, reminded us that the Cross is inseparably connected with the Resurrection, for through Christ’s suffering we received the gift of new life.
At the end of the Liturgy, new liturgical items were blessed — a seven-branched candelabrum, vigil lamps, a eucharistic set, ripidia, and a processional cross. These holy objects will serve to bring greater beauty to our services and to glorify God in our parish community.
In his words of thanksgiving, Fr. Roman wished that the lives of the benefactors would always be filled with God’s light, love, and all the graces needed for salvation.
The celebration concluded with a common prayer for Ukraine, “Almighty and Only God,” as the faithful prayed with one heart and one voice for peace, victory, and God’s blessing upon our nation.