The Ecumenical Patriarch at the great military parade in Kyiv

Among the official guests of the Ukrainian government to take part in the large military parade that took place today in Kyiv, was Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who attended the parade together with the Primate of the Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epifaniy.

Today Ukraine is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the country’s independence. Among the official guests were also prime ministers and heads of state, the political leadership of Ukraine, and the religious leaders of the main denominations of Ukraine.

The parade was also attended by the head of the Russian Church in Ukraine, Metropolitan Onufriy, despite the fact that the Moscow Patriarchate had stated that it would not participate in the events together with the Ecumenical Patriarch.

The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in his speech, among other things, referred to the Baptism of the Russians in Kyiv. He announced that the celebration of the statehood of the country will be established in Ukraine and the day that it will be celebrated, will be exactly the day of the Baptism of Rus in Ukraine.

Source: Orthodoxtimes