Sviatogorsk Lavra abbot: We’ll cope with ruins if only souls are unharmed

After the Liturgy on the Feast of Orthodoxy, which was celebrated in the Sviatogorsk Lavra the morning after the shelling, Metropolitan Arseniy, the abbot of the monastery, addressed the brethren and parishioners with a sermon. In his archpastoral address, the Archbishop noted that due to the circumstances, the brethren and parishioners were able to experience the true Triumph of Orthodoxy.

"As the proverb says, 'Trouble to the threshold, and we to God’. Today we say: ‘The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord’. It is easy to give thanks when we are filled with contentment and health when there are no sorrows. But in sorrow, to say, 'Glory to Thee, O Lord,' is to be like Job the Much-Suffering and many other saints," said Vladyka Arseniy.

"Today is a test of our faith and our trust in God. Maybe for these trials the Lord has taken away one or maybe more than one sin from each of us. Maybe because we came to the service after these trials, the Lord forgave us all our sins! We do not know the depth of God's mercy," said the abbot of the Sviatogorsk Lavra.

Metropolitan Arseniy reminded the monastery brethren that when they came to the monastery 27 years ago, it was even more ruined. However, through the prayers and labours of the brethren, God’s help and believers’ donations, it has become a beautiful Lavra.

"We will cope with the ruins. The main thing is that our souls and hearts should not be in ruins," remarked Vladyka.

"It is not terrible to be killed. It is not terrible to be wounded, it hurts. It is terrible when people suffer and you with all your heart want to help them and you understand that human capabilities are limited. But God is not limited and we should talk to Him as often as possible," the Metropolitan urged the brethren and parishioners, noting that this is not the time for mutual recriminations and negative opinions, but the time for fervent prayer.

"God grant that the Lord looks at the sorrow of each of you today, wipes away the tears of everyone standing here, hears the sighing, sees the tear that many have today because we do not understand what is happening, what madness the world has reached. Our Mother of God hears our prayers. She hears us in such a way that on many icons Her image even bleeds, showing that She is with us to sweat blood," concluded the abbot of the Sviatogorsk Lavra.

Earlier, the Sviatogorsk Lavra published a video about the consequences of the shelling.

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