KYIV. With the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr an action in support of cancer patients “Youth is not indifferent” was held by the Orthodox youth

On February 15, on the feast of Meeting of the Lord in Temple, a social action in support of pediatric oncology patients was held by the Youth Department of the Kyiv Diocese in the Central Botanic Garden named after M.M. Gryshko, at the Holy Trinity St. Jonah Monastery.   The action was held with the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr.  


That Sunday the world community marked the Day of Orthodox Youth and Child Cancer Patients. It was for them that the Candlemas charitable action, organized by the young people of the orthodox social organization "St. Jonah of Kyiv Fellowship", was dedicated. 


The event was opened by the festive service. Vicar of the Kyiv Metropolis, Bishop Ilary of Makariv conducted the Divine Liturgy on the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr.  In his address to the parishioners of the monastery he called all those present to take part in the action and to give a piece of their hearts to those in need of attention and support.    

Right after the service the monastery superior, archimandrite Jonah (Cherepanov) and numerous guests of the monastery solemnly welcomed the children from Kyiv Oncology Institute inside its walls. The Moleben was conducted during which the parishioners prayed for granting health to little patients of oncology department.   

Thereafter, at the initiative of the administration of the Botanic Garden, little ones together with their parents visited the exotic flower greenhouse. Then the monastery brethren treated their honoured guests to some tea and sweets.   


All that time the other guests, whose number reached two thousand, were invited to various competitions and games prepared by the orthodox scouts, as well as  workshops (salsa, Jumpstyle, theater arts). The artists' work studio was given special attention, since it gave everyone a chance to display one's creativity. There were enough possibilities for that - to begin with painting the leaded panels and handiwork of hay and to finish with pictures of melted chocolate. The participants of the actions passed their handicraft to the child cancer patients.

The performance of the orthodox Cossacks was also of much interest for the guests. The Cossacks not only demonstrated their target hitting accuracy, but also helped all those willing to take part in this entertainment.  Real zest of the action was a demonstration performance of the RPG players, who fought in armor suits in duel fights or group combats. 


The organizers also treated the action guests to tasty sweet pancakes.   

It should be noted that due to the pleasant and homelike atmosphere at St. Jonah's, most of the guests immersed themselves into all the entertainments suggested, in spite of cold weather and many-hour duration of the action.  


The final stage of the first part of the action "Youth is not indifferent" was a charity auction, that gathered huge crowd and mass-media representatives at the central  scene (5^th channel, TV-Radio Broadcasting channel ‘Era', TV-Radio Broadcasting channel "Ukraine", UNIAN agency, "Glas", KRT). There the 10 best works made by the children from the Oncology Institute were presented.
The action ended in the evening, at Maidan Nezalezhnosti, where the youth made a written message out of candles ‘There is hope".  And all those sympathizing left their wished to the children on the large colored leaflet.