A delegation of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine, consisting of Archbishop Lavrentios Vasilkivsky and clergy, visited the Holy Metropolis of Italy.
The hierarch of the Autocephalous Church of Ukraine was warmly welcomed by Metropolitan Gennadios of Italy, at the Church of St. George in Venice.
During the meeting, the two hierarchs discussed the development of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine, its recognition as a community of local churches, and the future of the Ukrainian Orthodox Diaspora in Italy and Malta.
The Metropolitan of Italy assured the Ukrainian Delegation that the Ecumenical Patriarchate is not in any way aiming to change the national identity of the Orthodox Ukrainians in Italy, but intends to have Ukrainians in the temples of the Holy Metropolis of Italy who could pray to God.
Finally, according to Metropolitan Gennadios, a major problem is the lack of Ukrainian priests for the Ukrainian believers in the parishes of the Holy Metropolis.