Anniversary Pilgrimage of the Donetsk Exarchate Held in Zaporizhia
On June 22, the Feast of All Saints of the Ukrainian People, a pilgrimage marking the jubilee year of the Donetsk Exarchate was held in Zaporizhia. The spiritual event became a beacon of hope for more than 400 faithful who gathered from across the exarchate: Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Ternivka, Kamianske, Samara, Vilnoandriivka, Matviivka, Chumaky, Preobrazhenka, Shakhtarsk, various occupied territories, and, of course, Zaporizhia.
The event was reported by the press service of the Donetsk Exarchate.
The pilgrimage began with a solemn procession around St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral, featuring a statue of Our Lady of Fatima. As the faithful walked, representatives of the pilgrim groups—clergy, seminarians of the exarchate, Mothers in Prayer, youth, and Knights of Columbus—prayed the Rosary, reflecting on the apparitions of Fatima.
This procession symbolized a pilgrimage of hope alongside Our Lady of Fatima, serving as a reminder of repentance, prayer, and the triumph of God’s love.
The solemn Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was presided over by Bishop Maksym Ryabukha, Exarch of Donetsk, and concelebrated by Bishop Emeritus Stepan Menyok and the clergy of the exarchate.
In his homily, Bishop Stepan emphasized that in times of war, suffering, and constant threat to life, it is especially vital to rely on the Lord:
“We pray to God and the Blessed Virgin Mary and implore her intercession, that she may obtain for us blessings and a just peace. Both the Ukrainian people and the soldiers defending our land must put their hope in the Lord.”
During the pilgrimage, the faithful had the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Confession, preparing their hearts to fully unite with Christ in the Holy Eucharist.
The spiritual program culminated with pilgrims passing through the jubilee doors of St. Volodymyr’s Church, symbolizing Christ: “I am the door. Whoever enters through Me will be saved” (John 10:9).
All who fulfilled the necessary conditions—confession, participation in the Divine Liturgy, reception of Holy Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father—were granted a plenary indulgence.
During the Liturgy, participants also renewed their baptismal vows, professed the Apostles’ Creed, and took part in the blessing of water and the anointing of the sick.
At the close of the service, Bishop Maksym Ryabukha gave thanks to God and the Blessed Mother for the opportunity to unite in prayer in free Zaporizhia. Concluding the celebration, he imparted the Apostolic Blessing and plenary indulgence to those present.
“The jubilee is a time of grace,” he said, “when we open our hearts to God, allowing Him to enter our lives and transform them.”
The UGCC Department for Information
