May 17, Bishop Benedyct celebrated a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Parish of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God in Richmond, Illinois. At the beginning of his visit, the bishop was warmly welcomed by the pastor, Fr. Ihor Khomytskyi, together with the parish community.
During the Divine Liturgy, the solemn blessing of the kivot for the icon of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsia took place. From now on, this icon will become a special place of prayer for the faithful of the entire eparchy.
The icon was written in Ukraine with the blessing of His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, and was brought to be venerated by the faithful. A special shrine (kivot) was built in the church to enshrine the holy icon for continuous prayer and veneration.
In his homily, Bishop Benedyct reflected on the spiritual significance of Zarvanytsia, one of the largest pilgrimage centers of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. For centuries, thousands of pilgrims have come to this holy place seeking spiritual renewal, healing, and comfort through the intercession of the Most Holy Mother of God. Zarvanytsia has become a symbol of the living faith of the Ukrainian people and their unwavering hope in God’s help.
From now on, the Parish of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God in Richmond will serve as a center for eparchial pilgrimages to the Zarvanytsia Icon of the Mother of God. Faithful from different parishes will have the opportunity to gather here for common prayer, pilgrimages, and spiritual events, united in honoring the Mother of God and asking for her maternal intercession for their families, our eparchy, Ukraine, and the whole world.
This historic event became a sign of spiritual unity within our eparchy and a reminder of the protection and love of the Mother of God for her children.