The head of the OCU met with the Ecumenical Patriarch
This was reported by Metropolitan Yevstratiy of Bila Tserkva of the OCU.
Metropolitan Epifaniy and his delegation were met at the entrance to the Ecumenical Patriarchate by the Grand Protosyncellus Archimandrite Gregory, the Grand Ecclesiarch Archimandrite Aetios and members of the Patriarchal Court. The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine venerated the shrines of the Patriarchal Church of St. George the Great.
Later, a meeting with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew began at the residence. In the patriarchal office, the Primate of the OCU greeted Archbishop Zenon of Dmanisi and Agarak-Tashir (Georgian Patriarchate), who arrived on a pilgrimage visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Earlier, Metropolitan Epifaniy visited Bishop Zenon in the Georgian parish in London and received this hierarch in Kyiv during his visit to Ukraine.
The meeting between Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine was attended by Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, Grand Ecclesiarch Archimandrite Aetios, and Patriarchal Deacon Epifaniy (Kamianovych) as an interpreter, as well as Metropolitan Yevstratiy of Bila Tserkva and Archpriest Petro Landvytovych, rector of the Church of St. Sophia in Kyiv.
During the lengthy conversation, the participants exchanged views on the challenges facing Orthodoxy and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in particular in connection with Russian aggression and attempts to justify it using the pseudo-religious ideological rhetoric of the Russian world.
Metropolitan Epifaniy thanked Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for his continued support of the Church and the people of Ukraine amidst the trials of war, for his participation in peacekeeping and humanitarian initiatives, and for his prayer for the victory of truth and a just peace.
The Primate of the OCU also emphasized the openness of the Local Church to dialogue with those who have not yet followed the Tomos.
“The Orthodox Church of Ukraine and I have always and invariably proclaimed that our doors and our hearts are open to everyone. We have repeatedly appealed (and continue to appeal) to our brothers and sisters remaining under Moscow's jurisdiction with a call for unity, for the joint creation of a single Local Church, as defined by the Tomos and the canonical order,” Metropolitan Epifaniy emphasized.
As a sign of love and respect, the Primate of the OCU presented Patriarch Bartholomew with gifts - a new edition of the liturgical Gospel in Ukrainian in small and large formats, a set of liturgical panagias and a book about Ukraine's heroic resistance to Russian aggression.
The meeting continued with the participation of representatives of the Ukrainian state. Deputy Head of the Office of the President Olena Kovalska and Head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience Viktor Yelensky discussed in detail with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew the state of religious freedom in Ukraine, which, despite the war, is being deepened by Ukrainian society. Ukraine was also represented at the meeting by Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey Vasyl Bodnar and Consul General in Istanbul Roman Nedilsky.
The Ukrainian side thanked the Ecumenical Patriarch for his long and unwavering support of Ukraine. The Patriarch was informed about the crimes committed by the Russian occupiers against religious freedom in Ukraine, about dozens of priests, pastors, and theologians killed by the Russian invaders, and about more than 630 destroyed religious buildings.
Patriarch Bartholomew emphasized that the world knows very little about these crimes and called for spreading the truth about religious freedom in Ukraine and those who are trying to destroy it.
The Ecumenical Patriarch testified to his readiness to make the necessary efforts for the prosperity of Orthodoxy in Ukraine and noted that he cares about the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
He noted that he supports everything that is aimed at the good of Ukraine.
In particular, this applies to the initiative of President Volodymyr Zelensky on spiritual independence, which is a prerequisite for the development of our country.
On the Ukrainian side, the Ecumenical Patriarch was invited by both the Primate of the OCU and the President of Ukraine to visit our country.
At the end of the meetings, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew hosted an official dinner in honor of the guests from Ukraine and presented each of them with memorable gifts.
