KYIV. The Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church met with the Head of the UGCC Svyatoslav (Shevchuk)

On August 23, His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kyiv and All Ukraine at his residence in the Kyiv Caves Lavra received the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Svyatoslav (Shevchuk), accompanied by the Secretary of the General Synod of the UGCC Bishop Bohdan (Dziurakh).

Metropolitan Volodymyr welcomed the new Head of the UGCC on his election to this ministry and expressed hope that the relations between the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church will be constructive and interconfessional peace and harmony will be preserved.

Bishop Sviatoslav thanked for the greetings and said that Metropolitan Volodymyr is the “spiritual father of the greater part of the Ukrainian people.” He also congratulated His Beatitude Volodymyr on the 45th anniversary of episcopal consecration and the title of the “Hero of Ukraine”.

During the meeting the sides discussed possible cooperation of both churches in the area of ​​theological education. The sides exchanged views on further development of Ukrainian theology.

The need for reconciliation between the faithful of both Churches was also emphasized. In this regard, it was agreed that in future all the problems of the relations will be resolved in working order.

The conversation took place in the spirit of goodwill and openness. At the meeting the parties exchanged gifts.

On the part of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church taking part in the meeting was Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of UOC Archbishop Alexander of Pereyaslav-Khmlnytskyy and Vishneve, chairman of the Synodal Information Department of the UOC archpriest George Kovalenko, DECR secretary Archpriest Nikolai Danylevych, Head of the Protocol service of the Kyiv Metropolis Archpriest Valeriy Kravets and Head of the Office of the Kyiv Metropolis Archimandrite Arkady (Demchenko).

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