Metropolitan Epifaniy meets with Czech Republic's President and Foreign Minister

This was reported by the press service of the OCU.

“We believe in our victory because truth is on our side, and where there is truth, there is God and victory,” said Metropolitan Epifaniy. “But we need help to stop the spread of the evil ‘Russian world’ and prevent it from advancing further into Europe.”

President Pavel noted that the participation of the Primate of the OCU in Forum 2000 is a significant testament to cooperation and wished Metropolitan Epifaniy and the autocephalous Church he leads continued success in their spiritual ministry.

To commemorate the meeting, Metropolitan Epifaniy presented the President of the Czech Republic with a cross and a commemorative coin honoring the 25th anniversary of the restoration of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral in Kyiv.

“You were with us at the Wall of Remembrance, Mr. President, and you saw this cathedral. It was destroyed by the communists, but it has been rebuilt. This is a sign that truth prevails: the communists are gone, but the Church and independent Ukraine remain. We believe that the evil of the ‘Russian world’ will also be defeated,” emphasized the Primate of the OCU.

Additionally, a meeting took place between Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine and Jan Lipavský, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, at the Czernin Palace in Prague, the official residence of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The meeting was attended by employees of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Metropolitan Yevstratiy, the deputy head of the OCU's Department for External Church Relations.

During their lengthy conversation, the parties discussed the problem of the Russian state's use of religious institutions as a tool for waging hybrid warfare, as well as the systematic violations of basic human rights by Russian occupiers, in particular, freedom of religion. They also addressed the religious needs of Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic and the practical implementation of Ukrainian legislation on the protection of the constitutional order in the religious sphere.

Metropolitan Epifaniy mentioned that since the beginning of Russian aggression, approximately six hundred churches and other religious buildings have been partially or completely destroyed as a result of Russian shelling, and about sixty clergymen have been killed, including priests of the OCU.

"Recently, the Russians shelled a church belonging to the Moscow Patriarchate community in the city of Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region. It was destroyed, and people present were injured. While Russian propaganda falsely claims that the Ukrainian state is persecuting them, in reality, communities of the Moscow Patriarchate are systematically suffering from shelling and violence by Russian troops and occupation administrations," said the head of the OCU.

He also briefed the Czech side on the activities of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations, which collectively testify to the presence of religious freedom in Ukraine.

"The law now prohibits religious organizations from being subordinate to centers located in the aggressor country. This law, supported by the Council of Churches and Religious Organizations, provides for purely democratic procedures. It does not concern matters of faith, but instead protects freedom of religion, the Ukrainian religious space, and security against the use of church institutions by the Russian state as an instrument of hybrid warfare," emphasized Metropolitan Epifaniy.

He also informed the minister about the activities of the Chaplaincy Mission, which is designed to help Ukrainian refugees meet their spiritual needs.

“Where local Orthodox bishops support Ukraine, we have good cooperation. In areas where they take a pro-Russian stance, we collaborate with other Christians who often show more love and support than the Orthodox,” said the Metropolitan.

Minister Lipavský thanked the Primate of the OCU for his visit and the engaging conversation, wishing him and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine further success, particularly in countering the aggressive Russian policy in the religious sphere.