As its press service reports, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate (UOC-KP) has expressed its condolences to the people of America in various ways. On 12 and 19 September 2001 memorial services were held in Kyiv for the deceased victims of terrorism. The head of the UOC-KP, Patriarch Filaret, gave an interview to the Ukrainian media regarding the situation. And the patriarch also sent a letter of condolence to the American Ambassador to Ukraine, Carlos Pascual.
On 12 September in Kyiv’s St. Volodymyr Cathedral, the patriarchal church of the UOC-KP, a panakhyda (memorial prayer service) was celebrated for the innocent victims of terrorist acts in the USA. A second panakhyda, 8 days after the tragedy, was held on 19 September in the church of St. Michael of the Golden domes in Kyiv. Filaret, Patriarch of Kyiv and All Rus-Ukraine recently gave an interview to the Ukrainian mass media (Ukrainian television, Radio Svoboda [“Freedom”], the newspaper Evening Kyiv and others) where he expressed his sympathy to the American people and President George Bush. In particular, the patriarch emphasized that now is not the time to think about revenge but to plan how to protect the world from the repetition of similar tragedies. He stated that a necessary factor which could protect humanity from such a repeat in the future would be European civilization’s turn from material to spiritual values. The text of Patriarch Filaret’s letter to U.S. Ambassador Carlos Pascal follows: Sympathy to the American People To the extraordinary and honored Ambassador of the United States of America to Ukraine, Mr. Carlos Pascual Highly-honored Mr. Ambassador! In the name of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyivan Patriarchate and myself personally I wish to express deep sympathy to the President of the United States of America, the families of those who perished and all the people of America on the event of this great tragedy. International terrorism is not compatible with Christianity. It is an attack on all world civilization and it should be overcome with common efforts. Our Holy church prays for the souls of the innocents who died. May the Lord give them rest in the domain of the just. Everlasting peace and memory to those who perished. Respectfully, Filaret, Patriarch of Kyiv and All Rus-Ukraine Materials for this article were taken from the Ukrainian-language website of the UOC-KP, www.kievpatriarch.org.