Ecumenical Patriarchate Delegation Visits UOC-MP Orthodox Head

Wednesday, 07 October 2009 12:28

KYIV - On October 5, 2009, the delegation of the Constantinople Patriarchate was received by the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), Metropolitan Volodymyr, in his residence in the Kyiv Monastery of the Caves. The delegation included Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, Secretary General of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople Archimandrite Elpidoforos Lambriniadis, and priest Vasilius Papafanasius. The representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate "highlighted that the figure of the Metropolitan unites all Orthodox believers of Ukraine, regardless of their jurisdiction," the UOC-MP website reports.

Constantinople representatives also thanked the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate "for his efforts to unite Orthodox believers of Ukraine" and said that the purpose of their visit to Ukraine was to assist the country in overcoming schisms.

"They emphasized, however, that the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople would not act unilaterally, but only in close cooperation first of all with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church," the report says.

Metropolitan Volodymyr, in his turn, awarded his guests and a Ukrainian deputy Petro Yushchenko, who was also present at the meeting, with anniversary orders "The 450th Anniversary of Bringing the Pochayiv Icon of Holy Mother to Volyn."

• http://orthodox.org.ua/uk/node/5743