His Beatitude gives school backpacks to 200 displaced children

His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry gives a school backpack to a child from a displaced family. Photo: UOC

On August 30, 2026, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine gave school backpacks to more than 200 children from internally displaced families. The charity event took place after the Liturgy and a prayer service for the start of the school year at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, the UOC Information and Education Department reports.

During the prayer service at the Church of St. Agapitus of the Caves, clergy and believers prayed for God’s blessing upon students and teachers, as well as for help for children in the upcoming school year. After the prayer, the Primate sprinkled those present with holy water.

The annual “Backpack of Mercy” charity campaign was then held. The initiative is organized by the UOC Synodal Department for Social and Humanitarian Affairs ahead of the new school year with the support of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry.

This year, more than 200 children from internally displaced families received backpacks filled with essential school supplies. The Synodal Department thanked the UOC Primate and all benefactors who helped make the campaign possible.

As the UOJ previously reported, the UOC Primate performed the rite of burial of the Shroud of the Mother of God.

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