Metropolitan Volodymyr: “Patriarch Kirill’s visit to strengthen spiritual power and to help the Ukrainians endure the Crisis”

Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kyiv and All Ukraine hopes that the forthcoming visit of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to the Dioceses of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church will strengthen spiritual powers of the faithful in the height of the economic crisis.
“The visit of His Holiness the Patriarch, apart from its chief purpose – the testimony of our unity in Our Lord Jesus Christ, is intended to strengthen the spiritual powers of the faithful”, stated Metropolitan Volodymyr in the interview published on Wednesday in “Izvestiya” newspaper.

He noted that now both peoples of Russia and Ukraine “are in the difficult situation: they are both suppressed by the economic and social crisis, many lost their jobs, salaries, live in fear for the future”. And it is the support and strengthening the people’s spirit that the social mission of the Church should be aimed in the period of crisis”.

“The Church today, as it was many times before in out thousand-year history, has to fortify people in their stand for life, family, fortify their patience, and belief in their forces. With God’s help we will overcome nowadays hardships. We have come through even worse troubles”, Vladyka emphasized.
He also reminded that the program of Patriarch Kirill’s visit to Ukraine “is comprehensive and intense”, and every day will include the divine services and meetings with the believers. And everywhere, according to Metropolitan Volodymyr, “the people get ready to meet Patriarch Kirill”.

“For a believer the meeting with the Patriarch, participation in the liturgical services is alwaysjoy, always holiday, and the more there are such holidays – the better”, summed up the First Hierarch of the UOC.

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