His intention to visit Ukraine again in the near future was expressed by the Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Xenophon on Mount Athos, Archimandrite Alexios.
Alexios is especially dear to the Ukrainian faithful not only for his meek and divinely inspired speech but also because he and the Holy Monastery of Xenophon were among the first to open their arms to the faithful of the Autocephalous Church of Ukraine.
“I have excellent memories from my visits to Ukraine for your chosen and faithful people. Our wish and prayer is for peace and love to come to your Church. The wish and blessing of our Ecumenical Patriarch was and is that all orthodox Christians be united as one. Because nothing separates us. We worship the same Christ, we have the same doctrines, we received the same Baptism, we commune the same Christ, and we pray to Him and ask for His mercy” said the Abbot speaking to df.news.
He added that “I think and wish to visit your blessed country again and maybe soon.”
The Abbot stressed the importance of unity and love in the life of Christians and wished, following the example of the life followed by the people of Mount Athos, that love and unity also occur in Ukraine:
“He who rejoices in divisions is the archaic demon whose work this is. We Mount Athos people love all Orthodox Christians and please to be a united flock.
This must be done in Ukraine as well, from the moment that our Orthodox center, our Ecumenical Patriarch, with the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Great Church of Christ, handed over the Tomos of Autocephaly to the independent Ukrainian state.”
