Kyiv: The delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate makes official visit to the UGCC
On Friday, 23 August 2024, a delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate led by His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Winnipeg, visited the UGCC Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Kyiv and met with the Father and Head of the UGCC, Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Galicia, Sviatoslav.
The delegation that arrived in Ukraine on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of the independence of Ukraine, on behalf of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, also included His Eminence Metropolitan Job of Pisidia, the Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarch in Ukraine, His Grace Bishop Michael of Komana, and the Patriarchal Deacon Epiphanios.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav warmly welcomed the representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, characterising their visit as historic. “I want to express my filial gratitude to His All-Holiness for his respect for our Church and the relationship we have built with him and the Ecumenical Patriarchate, especially in the last decade,” said the Head of the UGCC (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church).
Metropolitan Job of Pisidia noted that His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew sent them to Ukraine, at the invitation of the President, on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of the independence of Ukraine, to help in this difficult period of the war. “The purpose of our visit is to promote understanding, peace and unity of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine. His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has repeatedly asked us to visit you, Your Beatitude, to convey our love and fraternal greetings. We are happy that we were able to meet and exchange ideas, working for the fulfillment of the Lord’s prayer: That all may be united”, noted Metropolitan Job.
After a short prayer in the Cathedral, the members of the delegation visited the dungeon of the Church, which serves as a shelter for the residents of Kiev since the beginning of the full-scale war, and prayed in the crypt for the repose of the servant of God Lubomir Hussar. His Beatitude Sviatoslav also showed the guests the premises of the Patriarchal Curia, which during the war became a social service centre, as well as the new synodal hall.
During the private meeting, held in an atmosphere of brotherly love, important issues of inter-church dialogue at the global and local level, state-church relations in Ukraine, the role of the Church in Ukrainian society, and many others were discussed. His Beatitude Sviatoslav drew attention to the main challenges faced by the Churches in Ukraine during the war. He emphasised the need to “fight first for the temples of the human souls” and expressed fears of secularisation after the war. The head of the UGCC also noted the important role of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in strengthening the capacity for dialogue among Christians.
Separately, His Beatitude Sviatoslav thanked His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for supporting the call for an “all for all” prisoner exchange. “It is our moral duty to alleviate the suffering of those who remain captive,” he stressed.
