His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia visited St. Elias Church city of Kyiv

26/7/2011

The Patriarch-Catholicos was accompanied by Metropolitan Simeon of Vinnytsia and Mohyliov-Podilskyy.

Patriarch Ilia II got acquainted with the life of oldest church in Kyiv, and had a possibility to pray at the shrines of the church.

Welcoming the high guest of the parish of the Holy Prophet of God Elias was secretary of the Kyiv Metropolis, Dean of Kyiv, professor archpriest Vitaly Kosovskyy.

“We welcome you to this ancient church of St. Elias – the first Orthodox church of the Kyvan Rus, the church dedicated to your heavenly patron. Your Holiness, you are welcome to enter in our house and raise the your archpastoral prayers for health and welfare of our peoples of Ukraine and Georgia “- said Fr Vitaly, meeting His Holiness.

In his turn, His Holiness Patriarch Ilia II, addressing the audience of faithful, said: “I am very happy to visit this church and sincerely thank His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr for the reception. I hope that age-long and brotherly relations that have existed between us will continue to exist, and hope that the Grace of the Holy Spirit will unite Ukraine, and as the Lord Jesus Christ is the only Shepherd, and there shall be one flock and one faith ” .

As a keepsake present Father Vitaly gave an ancient icon made by the Ukrainian artists to the Georgian Patriarch.

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