Abbot of Esphigmenou celebrates Divine Liturgy at St. Anthony’s Cave in Kyiv Lavra

On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, Archimandrite Bartholomew, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Esphigmenou on Mount Athos, together with accompanying fathers, celebrated the Divine Liturgy inside the Cave of St. Anthony at the Kyiv Lavra.

The service was held in a deeply prayerful and reverent atmosphere, immediately beside the tomb of St. Anthony of the Caves, the founder of monasticism in Kyivan Rus’ and one of the most venerated saints of the Orthodox world.

Following the Divine Liturgy, Archimandrite Bartholomew and the Athonite delegation offered a fervent prayer from within the sacred caves for a ceasefire and the restoration of peace in Ukraine.

The service at the historic cave sanctuary underscored the spiritual bonds linking Mount Athos and the ancient monastic tradition of Kyiv, while also serving as a heartfelt appeal for an end to the suffering caused by the ongoing war.

The Athonite fathers’ prayers echoed through the centuries-old caves, invoking God’s mercy and protection for the Ukrainian people and for all those affected by the conflict.