On June 21, His Beatitude Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine began his visit as part of a delegation from the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations to European institutions. He visited the Metropolis of Belgium of the Ecumenical Patriarchate at the invitation of His Eminence Athenagoras, the Metropolitan of Belgium and Exarch of the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
This was reported by the OCU’s press service.
After a brief prayer in the church, a conversation took place between the Primate of the OCU and Metropolitan Athenagoras. Clergy from the Belgian Metropolis and Metropolitan Eustratiy of Bila Tserkva, who accompanied the Primate of the OCU, also participated.
Metropolitan Epifaniy expressed gratitude to Metropolitan Athenagoras for his fraternal assistance and support, highlighting his long-standing familiarity with Ukrainian church issues. He noted that Athenagoras had previously participated in various negotiations on this topic as part of a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
The Primate of the OCU also discussed the situation in Ukraine and the ongoing challenges posed by Russian aggression.
In response, Metropolitan Athenagoras expressed deep sympathy for the victims of the war and wished for a just and lasting peace for the Ukrainian people.
As a memento of the visit, the hierarchs exchanged symbolic gifts.