On Wednesday, 9th of January the Archpastoral visit of His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr to the western dioceses of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church began. His Beatitude makes it as a rule within the Christmastide, i.e. within the period between the Nativity and the Epiphany. At the beginning of the visit the Archpastor attended the St.George Stauropegial Monastery of Gorodnytsia in the Zhytomyr region. Here Vladyka was received by Deputy Abbot of the abode archimandrite Olexander (Nesterchuk), Hegumeness Zoya (Pyshna), as well as the brethren, nuns and the parishioners of the holy abode. In the main temple of the Monastery Metropolitan Volodymyr addressed the faithful with the word of exhortation: "I'm happy to have an opportunity and a possibility to attend in these holy days our stauropegial monasteries and to visit the abode which was the first to get this status. I congratulate you heartily on the great and joyous feast of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We love and worship this feast. If it was not for the Nativity of Christ, there would not be the Saviour, there would not be the hot love we have for God. By His Nativity Christ gave us the possibility to cognize God". Afterwards those present got from the hands of the Archpastor the icons of the Nativity and chocolate bars prepared specially for the feast on the order of the Kyiv Metropolis. Further on the Primate made his way to the Rivne Diocese - and visited the Holy Trinity Convent of Korets. In the abode the Archpastor was met by Archbishop of Rivne and Ostrog Varfolomiy, Bishop of Shepetivka and Slavuta Volodymyr, the Superior - Hegumeness Rafayila (Khilchuk), nuns and numerous parishioners. In the conciliar monastery temple His Beatitude bowed unto the main shrine of the abode - the wonderworking icon of the Mother of God "Warrantress of Sinful"; thereafter he addressed the faithful with exhortative word. "What did the Nativity give us? This event revealed us God and gave us the Mother of God, the Nativity of Christ conciliated us with God, reconciled earth and heaven, brought us freedom from sin, from damnation and death, opened the way to heaven, brought us the Gospel, in which the words of Christ the Saviour are kept, necessary for our salvation," said the Archpastor. In his turn Archbishop Varfolomiy on the part of the clergy and faithful of the Rivne Diocese greeted the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on the feast of Nativity, thanked him for the visit, for the sermon and wished him good health and inspiration. Then the Most Blessed Vladyka called to the chorister school functioning at the convent. Its disciples and the pupils of the Sunday school staged for the guests a little live crèche. By the end Vladyka bestowed the blessing upon those present by the icons of the Nativity and gave out the sweets. The first day of the journey was completed by attendance of the Holy Dormition Stauropegial Convent of Zimne in Volyn. Here His Beatitude was received by the Superior of the abode Hegumeness Stephana (Bandura) with nuns. Maxim Sydorenko | 
