His Holiness Patriarch Kirill: “in spite of many difficulties and divisions, the people stands firmly in Orthodoxy and pray fervently to God”
On August 5, 2009, upon completion of the Divine Liturgy at the Dormition Pochayiv Lavra the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church in his conversation with the journalists shared impressions of the pastoral visit to Ukraine.
“The people keep ardent faith in their hearts”, His Holiness underscored, “and in spite of many difficulties and divisions, having place in the world of politics, the social sphere, in spite of the divisions, which penetrated the church life, the people stand firmly on the Orthodox faith and fervently pray unto the Lord, and it is the most essential. The Lord will look down and send His mercy to Ukraine, its Orthodox Church.”
His Holiness expressed conviction that the power of people’s spirit will help the Ukrainian state and society, overcoming the difficulties to reach after the objectives corresponding the people’s spiritual strivings.
“I’d like to extend hearty gratitude to Metropolitan Vladimir and all the episcopate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church for unstinted hospitality”, said His Holiness further on. “This hospitality manifested itself everywhere, but in the first place in joyous prayer and communication – sincere, open and very helpful.”
His Holiness also said words of gratitude to the Ukrainian authorities for the assistance rendered in fulfilment of the pastoral tour of the dioceses of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church: “Everything was right and well-organized, the visit passed on smoothly and calmly, in spite of some difficult circumstances, we managed to overcome all that with God’s help and the assistance of the Ukrainian authorities.”
”I suppose, we have not offended anyone and have not aggrieved anyone, though of course not all agreed with what the Patriarch said and how he spoke in the Ukrainian land. But this is the duty of the Primate of the Church: even realizing that not everyone will accept and understand his words, he has to tell the truth of God and nothing else. With all love and humility I tried to tell it to the Ukrainian people, the Orthodox Church and all who wanted to hear me. Leaving Ukraine I hope that these words will facilitate people’s reconciliation, reunification and restoration of the broken unity of the Church of Christ so that God was glorified in our words and deeds”, noted His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.
