His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr received Patriarch Theophilus III of Jerusalem

28/3/2011

Jerusalem Patriarchate- Ukrainian Orthodox Church

On March 28 His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr received His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilus III at the primate’s residence at the Kyiv Caves Monastery.

Attending the meeting were also Prime-Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov, head of the Kyiv city state administration Oleksandr Popov, organizer of the conference “World religions and civil society united against hatred and extremism” Oleksandr Feldman.

In the course of conversation the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem shared his impressions of the stay in Ukraine.

“My visit is a visit of impressions – of the spiritual and physical emotions. The events taking place today in Kyiv, I hope, will have effect both for the city and the country as a whole, and will show to the whole world that Ukraine may be a worthy example to follow in the field of coexistence and good relations between different social and religious communities living in this country”, he said.
The head of the government conveyed greetings to the high guest from the president of Ukraine and personally greeted him on his arrival to the Ukrainian land. Also Mykola Azarov shared his impressions of Jerusalem and told about the church-state relations in Ukraine today.

In Ukraine there is a multitude of religious confessions, although they all live in peace. The state does not interfere with matters of religious organizations, it only supports them in their good initiatives. The prevailing confession is Orthodoxy, nurtured by Metropolitan Volodymyr. Through his efforts the Orthodox Church develops and strengthens, and the state helps it”, the Prime-Minister stated. As a keepsake of meeting Mykoal Yanovych offered a case with a jubilee coin to His Beatitude the Patriarch, and Oleksandr Popov gifted a small statuette of St Michael the Archangel, the heavenly patron of Kyiv.

Also in the course of meeting His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr conferred the order of the Hily Apostle Andrew the First-called on Patriarch Theophilus.

SNAPS: http://www.fotolitopys.in.ua

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