The Slavic and Gorlovsk diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which belongs to the Moscow Patriarchate, was created in 1994, having separated from Donetsk and becoming independent.
Thus, this religious administrative-territorial unit unites all the parishes and monasteries of the northern part of Donetsk region.
What is a diocese
Translated from Greek, the term "diocese" means "region", "unit", "inheritance". In the Orthodox Church, this is an administrative-territorial unit headed by a bishop or bishop.
And in the early religious temples and holy books, the modern concept of “diocese” was called “parikia”.
About the Gorlovsky and Slavic diocese
It is located in the northern part of the Donetsk region in the vicinity of the Dnepropetrovsk (west), Lugansk (east), Izyum (north), Donetsk (south) dioceses.
In 1997, Metropolitan of Kiev Vladimir signed a letter explaining which territories would be subordinate to this religious-territorial unit. These are areas of the Donetsk region located in the north-central part. Namely: Slavic, Artemovsky, Miner's, Krasnolimansky, Alexandrovsky, Konstantinovsky, Dobropolsky. The first diocesan city is considered to be Gorlovka, the second - Slavyansk.
As for the national composition of the territory of the Gorlovskaya and Slavic diocese, Russians, Ukrainians, and Belarusians live here, as well as Jews, Greeks, Armenians, Germans, Tatars, Meskhetian Turks and so on. And therefore, religious preferences are also diverse.
Cathedrals
In the city of Gorlovka, construction of the Cathedral, which is named after the Epiphany of the Lord, is still ongoing. Also in the area there is the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
In Slavyansk is located the Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky, founded back in the late XIX century. The Bishop of the Slavic and Gorlovsk Diocese (UOC) is His Grace Mitrofan, who since 2013 became Archbishop.
The diocese has 20 districts, 229 church communities, 2 convents. It consists of 231 clergymen.
Diocese structure
Gorlovskaya and Slavic religious administrative-territorial unit includes the following departments:
- on work with the executive service;
- on work with youth;
- religious education and introduction to Orthodoxy;
- missionary;
- on work with Sunday schools;
- to work with the media;
- social ministry and charity.
Each service is assigned a responsible person, thanks to which it is possible to resolve issues of each segment of the diocese.
There is also a center for the reception and distribution of humanitarian aid and a support center for pregnant women. Some parishes of the diocese adapt people with disabilities to parish life. For children with disabilities in Sunday schools create the necessary material support base.
Religious education
In addition, the Slavic and Gorlovsk diocese is engaged in educational activities, namely:
- The program of secondary schools in the region at the regional level includes religious subjects. The course is intended for children and is designed for 4-11 years of study. Lessons are held on Christian ethics, excursion trips to temples, and so on. There is a collaboration of teachers and school psychologists with clergy.
- On the basis of the churches, Sunday schools for children from 2.5 to 15 years old work (there are 105 schools in the diocese), where the Law of God is studied, the basics of applied and artistic creativity and other subjects are also mastered.
- Teaching classes on spiritual vocals are being created at the houses of art and music schools. From 6 years old, children have been taught the culture of liturgical singing, thus reviving folk choral traditions.
Humanitarian aid
There is also a special commission under the diocese that accepts and distributes humanitarian aid to people in need. Anyone who wants to help (material things, money, products) and who needs help can go here.
And for the poor residents of Gorlovka daily organized free food points at the temples:
- Epiphany Cathedral.
- St. Nicholas Cathedral.
- Kazan temple.
- Annunciation parish.
- All Sorrowful Temple.
- Nicholas Church.