Archimandrite Bartholomew, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Esphigmenou on Mount Athos, visited Ukraine accompanied by a group of monks. At the invitation of Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine, he presided over the Festal Vespers, Matins, and the Divine Liturgy marking the feast of Saint
Anthony of Kyiv, founder of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.
During the Divine Liturgy, celebrated on Friday, July 10, 2026, at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan Epifaniy was present in prayer. The hymns were chanted by the choir of Archon Protopsaltis of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Grigorios Daravanoglou.
The presence of the Abbot and the Athonite fathers from the monastery where St. Anthony received his monastic formation highlighted in a particularly moving way the centuries-old and unbreakable spiritual bonds linking Mount Athos, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and the Church of Kyiv.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, Abbot Bartholomew addressed the faithful and reflected on the historical journey of St. Anthony, who departed from Kyiv, received the monastic habit at the Holy Monastery of Esphigmenou, and, having received the blessing of Abbot Theoktistos, returned to his homeland to bring the authentic Athonite monastic spirit and establish the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.
In his address, the Abbot referred to the enduring spiritual ties connecting Mount Athos, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and the Church of Kyiv through the emblematic figure of St. Anthony. He also spoke about the tragedy of war that continues to afflict the Ukrainian people, emphasizing that “perfect love casts out fear” and noting that the monastery’s brotherhood did not hesitate to face every danger in order to stand alongside their suffering brothers and sisters.
He further referred to the spiritual character of the autocephalous Church of Ukraine, describing it as a return to its authentic ecclesiastical and spiritual roots.
At the end of his speech, Abbot Bartholomew presented Metropolitan Epiphaniy with a pastoral staff and a copy of the wonderworking icon of Panagia Arsaniotissa, the principal icon of Esphigmenou Monastery, as a tangible sign of the unwavering spiritual unity, love, and support of Mount Athos for the Church of Ukraine.
Concluding the service, Fr. Bartholomew expressed the practical solidarity of both the monastery and the Holy Mountain with the suffering people of Ukraine. He stressed that the Athonite delegation had traveled to Kyiv despite the dangers and uncertainties of war because “perfect love casts out fear,” adding that the pain and struggle of the heroic Ukrainian people for their faith, freedom, and identity is also the struggle of Esphigmenou Monastery.
Following the Abbot’s address, Metropolitan Epiphaniy welcomed Archimandrite Bartholomew and his delegation, expressing his deep gratitude for the historic presence of the Athonite representatives in Ukraine during this particularly difficult period.
In his remarks, the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine underscored the profound spiritual significance of the common roots linking the Kyiv Lavra and the monastery where St. Anthony embraced monastic life on Mount Athos. He emphasized that the fraternal support and unity conveyed by Esphigmenou Monastery, Mount Athos, and the Mother Church of Constantinople constitute a source of strength and hope for the Ukrainian people amid their ongoing trials.
