Ukrainian Orthodox Christians from the Eastern and Western, Northern and Southern parts of Ukraine gathered at St. Michael’s Orthodox Monastery for the formal celebration of the First Anniversary of the Unification Council of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine that took place a year ago - December 15, 2018, Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA report.
Ukrainian Orthodox Christians from the Eastern and Western, Northern and Southern parts of Ukraine gathered at St. Michael’s Orthodox Monastery for the formal celebration of the First Anniversary of the Unification Council of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine that took place a year ago - December 15, 2018, Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA report.
Upon the invitation of His Beatitude Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople comissioned the hierarchs of the Throne - His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, His Eminence Metropolitan Amphilochius, His Eminence Archbishop Daniel (Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA), His Grace Bishop Ilarion (UOC of Canada) and His Grace Bishop Maximos of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of France - to formally represent the Patriarchate at the festivities.
While participating in the formal celebrations of the weekend, Archbishop Daniel met with His Beatitude Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine in order to express cordial greetings of His Eminence Metropolitan Antony, clergy and faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, as the first anniversary of Canonical reunification is celebrated by the Ukrainian Orthodox Christians throughout the world.
Participating in the liturgical festivities, Vladyka Daniel concelebrated with hierarchs of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and expressed greetings to the various hierachs and dioceses of the OCU from the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the United States of America.
In his words of welcome, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Epiphany reflected upon the path of the One Year Anniversary, stating that some of his main goals throughout the first year were to keep the unity of the Church and to invest in the educational and administrative development of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, while caring for the spiritual growth and stability.
Welcoming the fifth President of Ukraine His Excellency Petro Poroshenko, the Metropoitan of Kyiv offered words of gratitude to the political leader of the nation for his contribution in the process of maturing of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. President Poroshenko responded by thanking all hieararchs, the Exarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, clergy and faithful of the Church for their Faith in the process and constant intercessions for the people and nation of Ukraine.
The day concluded with a formal luncheon, celebrating not only the past but looking forward to the Many Blessed Years of ministry of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.