St. Michael’s Day at CYM’s Home in Buxton

November 5, 2024

On Sunday, November 3, Father Yuriy Tychenok, Principal Chaplain for CYM of the Melbourne Eparchy, led a Divine Liturgy for young people from the Ukrainian Youth Association (CYM) of Melbourne and Geelong in celebration of the feast of CYM patron, Saint Michael the Archangel.

Each year, CYM members worldwide honour their patron, St. Michael the Archangel, in a special way. This year’s celebration for CYM members from Melbourne and Geelong took place from November 1–5, 2024, at the CYM Home “Karpaty” in Buxton, Victoria.

On Sunday, November 3, at 11:00 a.m., a CYM apel was held, during which the Head of the National Executive, Mrs. Tamara Moravski, and other honorary CYM members delivered speeches. Afterwards, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Fr. Yuriy Tychenok in concelebration with Deacon Vasyl Motrichenko.

During the homily, Fr. Yuriy emphasised that the main task of angels is to serve God and people. The Lord endowed them, like us, with intelligence and free will, but the primary, noticeable difference between angels and humanity is that angels do not have bodies; they are immortal and do not feel pain or hunger. “Our greatest fears are death, pain, and hunger—everything related to our bodies. It is on these physical needs that much of humanity is focused today, and these concerns can prevent us from fulfilling the task we received from the Lord God: to serve, like all angels, God, and our neighbours. The celebration of St. Michael the Archangel and all the heavenly incorporeal powers, this Divine Liturgy, and the shared camp experience should remind us of our duties—as humans, as Christians, and as CYM members,” said Fr. Yuriy.

At the end of the liturgy, everyone sang the traditional “Many Years” for the camp participants and all those named Mykhailo and Mykhailyna. The head of the CYM Melbourne, Iordan Kohut, on behalf of all CYM members, thanked Father Yuriy and Deacon Vasyl for the service.

The camp continued with a delicious lunch in good company, and the warm, sunny weather and beautiful nature made this day unforgettable.