: Australian pilgrims in Chernovtsi, Ukraine (11 Sept) – photoreport

1. Welcome to Chernovtsi

2. Dyadya Kolya and Fr Oleg are first to meet our group

3. His Eminence, Metropolitan Onufriy, surprises all by coming to the airport to greet our group. Let us love one another

3a. Overwhelmed by the reception

4. Amongst those at the airport is a Minister of the Ukrainian government, the spiritual son of the Metropolitan

4a. Metropolitan Onufriy takes time to welcome each delegate personally. Chatting with Jenny

5. The humble pastor conquers all

6. Rejoice

7. Vladika converses freely in English with all

8. The monastery of Bancheni visible in the distance

9. The beard of Aaron meets the wind of Bancheni

10. Golden domes adorn the almost completed cathedral outside the monatery’s walls

11. Entry gates

12. The bell tower of the Ascension men’s Monastery of Bancheni erected in honour of the 10th anniversary of the founding of the monastery

13. Within the monastery’s walls lies a treasure

14. Holy Ascension church – the main church of the monastery

15. Frescoes of God’s saints

16. As the sun sets on our first day in Chernovtsi

17. The stillness of the monastery compound

18. Various domes

19. The bell tower over the entry gates. The delegates were comfortably housed within this building

20. Within a chapel dedicated to St Seraphim of Sarov

21. Hieromonk Onufriy explains

22. The vision of the youth Bartholemew (future St Seraphim)

23. Days of creation

24. Within the bell of the tower

25. More bells

26. The monastery’s property

27. Construction

28. Fr Onufriy continues the tour of the monastery

29. View to the west from the Bell Tower

30. The Brotherhood quarters and cells

31. View to the south west

32. The main bell

33. The monastery cemetary and its chapel

34. Bell ringers

35. God’s country

36. the monastery skete in the distance

37. Within the tower

38. Dyadya Kolya (Vladika’s personal driver) and Fr Oleg

39. Fr Michael meets the abbot and founder of the monastery – the real Father Michael

40. The Abbot with our group

41. The Chidren’s orphanage and home

42. Meeting the children and their carers

43. Koalas and Kinder surprises. Australia meets the innocent children of Chernovtsi

44. Fred and all the pilgrims engage the children

45. Smiles of joy

46. Within the dining room of the children’s home

47. Paralysed, limbless, blind and autistic – none complain, yet all are positive

48. Have you got any more koalas – have you got any more fingers