POROSHENKO THINKS THAT UKRAINE IS BLESSED WITH SUCH A PATRIARCH AS FILARET
Interfax-Religiia, 22 October 2015
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko personally greeted the leader of the self-proclaimed Kiev patriarchate, Filaret Denisenko, on the twentieth anniversary of his enthronement.
"Ukraine has been blessed with such a patriarch. Twenty years is almost the same age as the independent Ukrainian state. Your prayer was all the time with the Ukrainians that the Lord will protect us and help us in difficulties to consolidate, unite, and meet challenges together," the head of state said at a meeting with Filaret in Kiev, the president's press service reports.
In his turn, the leader of the schismatics said that "the Lord is testing Ukraine, as to whether it deserves to have its own state or not," "We received the state like manna from heaven and now it has fallen to our lot to endure trials," he added.
Thanking P. Poroshenko for support of the idea of creating a united local Orthodox church in Ukraine, Filaret declared: "I am thankful that the president understands that the church should be one and then it will be protected."
F. Denisenko also awarded the head of state the order of Holy Prince Vladimir. (tr. by PDS, posted 23 October 2015)
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