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Ukrainian president injects himself into church unity cause

UNITED LOCAL ORTHODOX CHURCH WILL HELP THE UNIFICATION OF THE COUNTRY—PRESIDENT AT MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH

RISU, 29 July 2015

 

President Petro Poroshenko met with representatives of the Archbishop of Constantinople Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, who arrived in Ukraine to participate in events on the occasion of the Day of the Baptism of Kievan Rus-Ukraine and of the honoring of the 1000th anniversary of the death of Prince of Kiev Vladimir the Great.

 

The president welcomed onto Ukrainian land on this day that is important for Ukraine the leaders of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA and Canada: Metropolitan Yury, Metropolitan Antony, Bishop Daniil, and UPTs representative Daniil Bilak.

 

"The prayer of the ecumenical patriarch and his unwavering position in defense of peace and the unity of Ukraine will help us to heal the wounds which were inflicted on Ukraine by Russian aggression and by terrorists," Petro Poroshenko said.

 

The president emphasized that now Ukraine is experiencing difficult and critical times. Each day is an example of the enormous service to the motherland by Ukrainian troops in the Donbass and by the Ukrainian people as a whole, who are doing everything possible for overcoming the challenges and trials and for unity, Petro Poroshenko noted. "The Ukrainian people are praying that unity will arrive in church life also and that it will be possible to make that which all Ukrainians are striving for, the creation of a local Ukrainian church. For us this is a dream that will help Ukraine to be united and to preserve principles and traditions," Petro Poroshenko said.

 

In their turn, the representatives of the ecumenical patriarch noted that it is a great honor and joy for them to attend the events. "The patriarch asked that two metropolitans from Canada and the USA come and celebrate this great holiday with the government and with the people of Ukraine: the millennium of the burial of Grand Prince of Kiev Vladimir," Metropolitan Yury said. He noted that the war in the Donbass has served the unification and "transformation of the people of Ukraine into a real nation that aspires together." The representatives of the ecumenical patriarch expressed the hope that the dialogue concerning unification of the Ukrainian Orthodox churches will continue. This was reported by the press service of the head of state. (tr. by PDS, posted 29 July 2015)


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