Patriarchal Exarch of Lithuania celebrated Divine Liturgy at St Andrew’s Church in Vilnius

On Sunday, 1 November 2026, Bishop Panaretos of Tamisos, Patriarchal Exarch of Lithuania, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at St Andrew’s Church in Vilnius, where the Ukrainian Orthodox community gathers for worship. Concelebrating with was Fr Jeremiah Yurchenko.

In his homily, reflecting on the Gospel parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, His Grace the Exarch Bishop Panaretos emphasised each person’s responsibility towards their neighbour. He stressed that indifference to the suffering of others, the postponement of repentance and reluctance to change our attitude create a chasm between the faith we profess and the life we lead.

He called on the faithful not to wait for special circumstances, but to take concrete steps of repentance and love today: to acknowledge their mistakes, ask for forgiveness, restore relationships and care for one another. Speaking about parish life, he noted that the unity of the community is nurtured through shared responsibility, mutual understanding and the humility to say sincerely: “I was wrong”, “Forgive me” and “Thank you”.

After the Divine Liturgy, a shared meal was held, during which His Grace had the opportunity to speak with members of the…