Bø i Telemark, Norway, Saturday, October 17, 2026
Reverend Fathers Andrii & Georgios,
Dear Guests,
Dearly Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
It is a great joy and a deep emotion for Fr. George and me to be with you today in Bø, to pray and celebrate the Divine Liturgy together.
This is my first visit to this beautiful and ancient church, and my first opportunity to celebrate here with Fr. Andrii and with all of you, our Ukrainian-speaking Orthodox brothers and sisters.
Father Andrii, I thank you for your faithful pastoral ministry and for the loving care you give to this community. Since you were received into the Holy Metropolis of Sweden and All Scandinavia and placed under my omophorion, we have looked forward to worshiping together. Today, by the grace of God, that joy has become a reality.
The readings we have heard speak to us of God’s mercy and of the healing compassion of Christ. In the Epistle, Saint Paul reminds us that God calls people from every place and background to become His people.
The words of the prophet Hosea, which he recalls, are full of hope: “Those who were not My people” shall be called “sons of the living God.” The Church is gathered by this mercy. We come from different places and speak different languages, yet in Christ we are made members of one family.
Saint Paul also calls us to humility before the mystery of God’s providence. We do not stand before God because of our own strength or accomplishments, but because He is merciful and calls us to respond to Him in faith.
This is a comfort to every community, especially a small community serving the faithful far from their homeland. The Lord sees every person, every prayer, and every act of love offered in His name.
In the Gospel, Christ meets a man whose hand is withered. While others watch for a reason to accuse Him, the Lord asks whether it is lawful on the Sabbath “to do good or to do evil, to save a life or to destroy it.”
Then He restores the man’s hand. In this act, Christ reveals the true purpose of God’s commandments; they lead us toward life, mercy, and the restoration of the human person.
This is also the calling of the Church. We gather not to judge one another, but to seek the healing and life that Christ gives. We are called to offer one another welcome, prayer, patience, and practical care.
Here, in this modest missionary community, your shared worship bears witness to that calling. Every Divine Liturgy, every prayer, and every kindness helps strengthen the bonds of the Body of Christ.
Tomorrow, we look forward with equal joy to welcoming Fr. Andrii and our Ukrainian-speaking brothers and sisters at the Metropolitan Church of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in Oslo. It is a blessing for us to be together in Bø today and then to continue our common prayer in Oslo.
As a remembrance of this visit and as a sign of our affection and support for this community, we will offer you an antimension and a set of holy articles. May they serve you in the celebration of the Holy Sacraments and in the continued life of this community.
May our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen Fr. Andrii in his ministry and bless every member of this community. May He gather us all into the joy of His Kingdom and make us, in the words of the Apostle, “sons and daughters of the living God.” Amen!
