Metropolitan Longin leads patronal feast at Bancheny Monastery's Skete

On August 19, 2026, Metropolitan Longin of Bancheny led the festal divine service at the Skete of the Bancheny Monastery on the occasion of the patronal feast – the Transfiguration of the Lord, reports a UOJ correspondent.

His Grace Longin was concelebrated by Metropolitan Evseviy of Shepetivka and Slavuta, Archbishop Silouan of Hertsa, Archbishop Cleopa of Novoselytsia, Bishop Nikita of Ivano-Frankivsk and Kolomyia, Bishop Philaret of Capri (Moldovan Orthodox Church), the clergy of the eparchy, and guests in holy orders.

More than a thousand faithful gathered for the festive service.

The Skete of the Transfiguration of the Lord is a closed-type hermitage, which may be visited only by the monks of the Ascension Monastery. Only once a year, on the day of the patronal feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, all those wishing to pray are admitted onto the grounds of the skete. The skete is opened on the eve of the feast before the beginning of the evening divine service and remains open throughout the night and the following day – the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord – allowing people to venerate the shrines of the monastery.

During the Liturgy, the bishops and clergy prayed for peace in the Ukrainian land, deliverance from the enemy, that the Lord might have mercy on the people and preserve those who are in despair and have lost their homes, and that the Lord might bless people of good will who help those in need.

At the conclusion of the service, Metropolitan Longin congratulated the faithful on the great feast – the Transfiguration of the Lord – and delivered words of instruction.

After the prayer behind the ambo, a blessing of grapes, apples, and other fruits was performed.

The faithful present then congratulated Metropolitan Longin on his birthday.

As the UOJ previously reported, on the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, His Beatitude Onuphry led the Liturgy at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra and blessed the fruits of the new harvest.