His Beatitude Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv expressed his warm wishes to His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on his 84th birthday via a post on social media.
Speaking warmly about the Ecumenical Patriarch, the Metropolitan noted “We are grateful that, thanks to his paternal care and sacrifice, the Ukrainian Church has turned the page on divisions and non-canonical enslavement, and has received the long-awaited Tomos of Autocephaly and recognition as an equal local Church.”
The Metropolitan also said “We greatly appreciate the care of the Mother Church of Constantinople, expressed in prayer for Ukraine and our people, and humanitarian and material assistance to the victims. We are grateful for the witness of truth to the world and the public exposure and condemnation of Russian aggression, which the Ecumenical Patriarch has clearly described as evil, as a “diabolical war”.”
Read below the message of Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv
On 29 February, on this special day, a unique person was born, whom we all know and respect today as the first among Orthodox hierarchs, as the Primate of the Apostolic Throne of the Great Church of Christ in Constantinople, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
We cordially greet His All-Holiness on the occasion of the 84th anniversary of the beginning of his earthly journey! On behalf of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and myself, I sincerely wish Patriarch Bartholomew good health, increased spiritual and physical strength, success in his many endeavors, and all the blessings of God.
We are sincerely grateful to the Ecumenical Patriarch for restoring historical justice, restoring the spiritual connection between the Daughter Church in Kyiv and Constantinople – the Mother Church, a connection that no one, no matter how hard they try, can either break or deny. We are grateful that, thanks to his paternal care and sacrifice, the Ukrainian Church has turned the page on divisions and non-canonical enslavement, and has received the long-awaited Tomos of Autocephaly and recognition as an equal local Church.
We are grateful to Patriarch Bartholomew for his clear and principled stand in support of Ukraine, which is currently experiencing terrible trials due to war. We greatly appreciate the care of the Mother Church of Constantinople, expressed in prayer for Ukraine and our people, and humanitarian and material assistance to the victims. We are grateful for the witness of truth to the world and the public exposure and condemnation of Russian aggression, which the Ecumenical Patriarch has clearly described as evil, as a “diabolical war”.
The pleasant memories of Patriarch Bartholomew’s historic visit to Ukraine in 2021 will remain in our minds forever. We are grateful that His All-Holiness found the time and opportunity for this visit to pray to God together with thousands of Ukrainian faithful.
We could go on and on about the good deeds and merits of this outstanding person, who makes incredible efforts to bring the light of faith and hope, to build fraternal relations between the Churches, to convert the faithful to communion with the Church and with God, to care for people and to draw attention to global world problems… Many blessed years, Your All-Holiness!
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