Rivne Eparchy welcomes its new ruling bishop

Meeting of Bishop Pimen, who was appointed to the Rivne see. Photo: UOJ

On November 17, 2021, on the border of Rivne and Zhytomyr regions, the clergy and monks of the Rivne Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church met Bishop Pimen, their newly appointed ruling bishop, according to the UOJ correspondent.

Bishop Pimen was returning from Kyiv, where he received a decree on his appointment from the Primate of the UOC, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine. Priests, abbots, abbesses of monasteries and monks greeted their hierarch with bread and salt and flowers.

"It is a folk tradition to greet dear people with particular hospitality," said Archpriest Viktor Zemlianoy, head of the Department for Interfaith Settlement at the Rivne Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. "Bishop Pimen is a truly dear person to us, and the mission entrusted to him by the Holy Orthodox Church is extraordinary, viz. to lead the laity and the priests to salvation."

After the welcoming words, Bishop Pimen blessed all those who'd come to meet him and addressed with words of gratitude: “I am deeply impressed by this sincerity and hospitality. And I would very much like to be able to serve both God and people with dignity in this high position." After the impromptu festivities, all those present together with the newly appointed head of the Rivne diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church went to St. George's metochion in Rivne, where a thanksgiving prayer to the Merciful God for fruitful work for the sake of the Church and the Glory of God was offered.

As reported by the UOJ, the Holy Synod appointed the ruling bishop of the Rivne Eparchy.

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