Avraam, the abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, announced the death of his father

Bishop Avraam, the Vicar of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, announced the death of his father. Archpriest Mikhail Lotish passed away on October 21.

The bishop wrote about the loss of his loved one on his Facebook page.

Bishop Avraam recalled the spiritual guidance of his father, who instilled in him a love for God and taught him to overcome life’s trials with faith. “Dad, today my heart is filled with indescribable pain, gratitude, and a gentle sorrow. It is hard to find the words to express everything that lives in the soul when you say goodbye to the dearest person who gave you life, love, and wisdom. You loved the Lord so sincerely! Through your faith, your prayers, and your own example, you passed on to me what is most precious—love for our Source of Life, the Lord Almighty. “You taught me to view life through the lens of faith, to trust in God’s Providence, not to lose hope, and to remember that behind every earthly trial stands the Lord, Who never abandons a person,” he noted.

Bishop Avraam expressed his gratitude to his father for his wise counsel, support, patience, and example of priestly ministry, as well as for his fatherly love.

The bishop also asked his father for forgiveness for any thoughtless words, any offenses he may have caused, and everything he had not had time to say or do during his father’s lifetime. “I thank God that you were my father. For the years spent by your side, for your prayers, for your presence in my life. Today I bid you farewell into eternity with a heavy heart, but with faith in the Resurrection of Christ. For us, Christians, death is not a final parting, but a transition to another life, in which we hope to meet again in the Lord,” he said.

This was reported by Bishop Avraam, the vicar of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra of the OCU.

State policy officials recognized the Zaporizhzhia Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) as affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church.

The Russian Orthodox Church has officially approved at least 12 prayers related to the war.

As a reminder, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill (Vladimir Gundyaev), stated that the creation of the atomic bomb in the USSR was a manifestation of “God’s grace” and helped prevent the country’s destruction. He made this statement after the liturgy at the Holy Trinity Seraphim-Divyevsky Monastery.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia has published a book titled “War: Beyond the Visible Causes and Consequences,” in which he asserts that the outcome of wars is supposedly determined by God, and victory goes to those who stand “on the side of light.”