Patriarch Kirill of Moscow arrived in Donetsk on 6 May to participate in the celebratory events on occasion of the 60th anniversary of birth of Metropolitan Ilarion of Donetsk and Mariupol of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate.
“I have arrived in Donetsk soil on occasion of the 60th anniversary of birth of Metropolitan Ilarion. It is an expression of my personal respect for the metropolitan and also my special attitude to the Donetsk land,” stated the patriarch.
“The head of the Russian Orthodox Church noted that Donbas is “the land which plays a very important role in history and the economic life of Ukraine.” “It is, really, in the great meaning of the word, the great national bread basket,” stressed he.
Patriarch of Moscow also noted that he highly appreciates the level of faith of the residents of the region. “I remember the time when there was no eparchy in Donbas. When it was governed by a bishop from Odesa, when one could not even imagine that there will be the fourth Laura monastery in this beautiful land and that such a powerful and strong eparchy of the Russ Orthodox Church will be established in this beautiful land,” UNIAN quotes Patriarch Kirill.
“I would like to pass my blessing to all the residents of Donbas, especially, the Orthodox people, of course, but not only the Orthodox. Let the Lord keep this land in peace, civil accord, let the people develop the economy yet aspire that high spiritual values, without which human life loses its sense, should be in the center of life,” said the patriarch.
The Patriarch of Moscow will lead a liturgy in the Cathedral of Transfiguration of the Saviour in Donetsk on 7 May within the framework of his visit. Also, the guest is going to visit a football stadium “Donbas-Arena.”