President conferred the title of Hero of Ukraine and the Order of the State to Patriarch Filaret

During the solemn ceremony on the occasion of the Day of Unity of Ukraine and the 100th anniversary of the proclamation of the Act Zluky between the Ukrainian People's Republic and the West Ukrainian People's Republic, President Petro Poroshenko conferred the highest state award - the title of Hero of Ukraine and the Order of the State to Patriarch Filaret.

“You were, are and remain the spiritual leader of the Ukrainian people. Therefore, I decided to confer you the title of Hero of Ukraine. I emphasize that you deserve this reward... You have always served the church and the Ukrainian people selflessly,” the President noted.

"Under the atheistic Soviet regime, under the pressure of the KGB and the party apparatus, you have fought for the right of people to believe in God, to visit the temple of God, to pray to the Lord. And with the proclamation of independent Ukraine, you have set out on the path of building a single autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church. You have laid a good foundation. Despite all the obstacles, you have been leading the Ukrainian Orthodoxy to autocephaly, to spiritual freedom,” Petro Poroshenko said.

"And your example of extraordinary sacrifice, with which you came to the Unity Council in St. Sophia of Kyiv on December 15, is outstanding. You have proved to the whole world that "there are three hetmans among two Ukrainians" is not about us. You have proved that Ukrainians can unite in the name of a great goal," the President emphasized.