With the blessings of Bishop Silvester of Jinja, Metropolitan Innocentios Byakatonda led the celebrations of Sunday of Orthodoxy at Holy Resurrection Cathedral – Jinja. The titular Metropolitan of Sozusa presided over the Divine Liturgy and the procession of the icons on the first Sunday of Lent. The hierarch co-celebrated with the Vicar General – Fr. Chrysostom Koolya, assisted by Hiero-deacon Moses Ssekubunga.
In his homily, Metropolitan Innocentios spoke on the significance of the Sunday of Orthodoxy in ensuring the preservation of sacred traditions. “We were created in the image and likeness of God but lost the latter through Adam’s disobedience,” he said. “Our struggle today is to reclaim the likeness of God. The likeness to God is the potential to become like God, participating in His divine energies and attributes,” he added. The hierarch concluded by calling upon everyone venerate the holy icons for the love of the saints which are depicted in them.
Bishop Silvester Kisitu, who was unavailable due to other commitments, sent his blessings to the faithful, expressing his gratitude to Metropolitan Innocentios for leading the celebrations.
This significant feast in the Liturgical calendar commemorates the restoration of the holy and venerable icons enacted by the ever-memorable Emperors of Constantinople, Michael and his mother Theodora in the 9th century. This day stands as a reminder of the importance of holy icons in the life of the Church and their role in preserving the true faith.
The Synodicon of the Seventh Ecumenical Council
As the prophets beheld, as the apostles have taught, as the Church has received, as the teachers have declared, as the world has agreed, as grace has shown forth, as truth has been revealed, as falsehood has been dispelled, as wisdom has become manifest, as Christ awarded.
Thus we declare; thus we affirm; thus we proclaim Christ our true God, and honor His saints in words, writings, thoughts, sacrifices, churches, and holy icons;
On the one hand, worshiping and reverencing Christ as God and Lord, and on the other, honoring the saints as true servants of the same Lord of all, and offering them proper veneration.
This is the faith of the apostles. This is the faith of the fathers. This is the faith of the Orthodox. This is the faith on which the world is established.
Therefore, with fraternal and filial love we praise the heralds of the faith, those who with glory and honor have struggled for the faith, and we say: to the champions of Orthodoxy, ‘faithful emperors, most-holy patriarchs, hierarchs, teachers, martyrs, and confessors: May your memory be eternal.