On July 27, Patriarch Kirill met with Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov. The prime minister underscored that promotion of spirituality is a positive priority of the Ukrainian state.
Mykola Azarov underscored that promotion of spirituality is a positive priority of the Ukrainain state.
"We will do everything so that churches are built and monasteries revived without obstacles," Mykola Azarov said. "In particular, the government passed a decision that in a year all the institutions and organizations having no relation to the monastery and the reserve will be removed from the territory of the Kyiv Cave Monastery."
According to the website of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), the prime minister also expressed satisfaction with the fact that the pastoral visit of Patriarch Kirill to Ukraine is successful and attracts the attention of the Orthodox world.
Patriarch Kirill thanked the head of the government for his support in organizing the visit, which, in his opinion, "may serve as an example for many other states." The primate of the Russian Orthodox Church underscored that he and the clergy will pray that the wisdom, experience, and love for one’s nation that he sees in the prime minister of Ukraine will reveal themselves in his post and help the people.
"For we observed the people ‘with hell in their souls,’ being in charge of the secular activities, brought about dissent and ruination,” the patriarch noted and added: "I felt that among the countries of the former Soviet Union, Ukraine has the most considerable potential. It has economics, nature, and active people. Therefore I have no doubt that the people of Ukraine will pass through the difficult period and obtain new a historical victory."