On June 18, 2025, Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine welcomed a delegation from the Hellenic Republic at his residence in the St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery.
The delegation included Georgios Kalantzis, Secretary General for Religious Affairs of the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports of Greece; Pantelis Alexandros Dimitrakopoulos, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Hellenic Republic to Ukraine; and Emmanouil Androulakis, Deputy Head of Mission, as reported by the press service of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU).
Also present at the meeting were Archbishop Agapit of Vyshgorod, Viktor Yelensky, Head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience, and Archpriest Yaroslav Romanchuk, Rector of the Kyiv Orthodox Theological Academy.
Metropolitan Epifaniy warmly welcomed the guests to the spiritual center of the OCU. He emphasized that despite the ongoing challenges, the Ukrainian people have a rightful aspiration for victory, which is fueled by their unwavering faith, the bravery of their defenders, and the support from friends and international partners.
“We are sincerely grateful for your solidarity and the assistance provided by Greece,” stated the Primate of the OCU. "We express our special gratitude to His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for the historic decision to grant us the Tomos of Autocephaly. This decision was truly prophetic, as the Church plays a vital role in offering spiritual and moral support to the people during times of war. We also thank the Church of Greece for endorsing this wise decision."
Representatives of the Greek delegation highlighted that the struggle of the Ukrainian people and the OCU for freedom, dignity, and high ideals is just, and anyone who shares these beliefs cannot remain indifferent.
The parties also discussed the current religious situation in Ukraine and explored the prospects for further rapprochement between the Ukrainian and Greek peoples, based on shared faith, history, and democratic values.