On October 22, 2022, at the invitation of Archbishop Mark Jędraszewski of Krakow, Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All-Ukraine visited the Archbishop's residence during his visit to Krakow. The head of the OCU was accompanied by Archbishop Yevstratiy.
According to the OCU press service, during a conversation with the leading Catholic hierarch, His Beatitude expressed gratitude to the Catholic Church in Poland and the Polish people for the extraordinary support and assistance that Ukraine and Ukrainians receive during the war.
"First of all, we thank you for the prayers for the victory of truth and just peace in Ukraine. Thank you for caring for refugees, humanitarian assistance, sympathy and support. All this inspires us to continue our struggle because we feel friendly support," the head of the OCU emphasized.
Archbishop Jędraszewski spoke about the charity work that takes place in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kraków. "During October, a special prayer on the Rosary is held in our parishes, and the first prayer request is now every day – for Ukraine, for peace for Ukraine," the hierarch said.
"In these difficult circumstances, Ukraine and Poland show how to defend Christian values. Russia falsely claims that it is fighting allegedly for Christian values. Killing and terrorizing civilians, committing genocide-is this what the Lord called people to do? These are not Christian affairs but devilish ones. And our peoples really show a Christian attitude: they protect the truth and their neighbors, and help those who are in trouble. Mercy and truth are true Christian values," said His Beatitude Metropolitan Epifaniy.
In memory of the visit, the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine presented the Archbishop of Krakow with a copy of the icon of Christ the Almighty, which is located in the Synodal Hall of the Metropolitan House, and a publication about the life of the Church.
Archbishop Jędraszewski presented hierarchs from Ukraine with portraits of the blessed memory of Pope John Paul II, who was elected head of the Roman Catholic Church from the Archdiocese of Krakow and always maintained a special attitude to his native see.