Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine marked yesterday, on the 4th of February, both his birthday and the seventh anniversary of his enthronement with a powerful message shared on social media, reflecting on the ongoing war, the struggle between good and evil, and the mission of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in a time of trial.
Describing the contrast between night and morning as a symbol of the wider conflict, the Metropolitan wrote:
“The beginning of today seemed to mirror the struggle between good and evil in this world. The morning after a dark, cold night, filled with danger from deadly weapons once again massively launched by the servants of the Kremlin tyrant against our peaceful people, was lit by bright sunshine and brought hope — a new day, new meetings, new opportunities to struggle, to be strengthened and to draw closer to victory, to spring and renewal.”
Marking the personal significance of the day, he added: “I prayed and thanked God for granting us another day of life — a special day for me: my birthday into this world, and the day when seven years ago, with a sense of great responsibility and hope in God’s will, I accepted the cross of Primatial service — before the Lord, before myself and before the people, giving my word that, in what depends on me, I would humbly bear it as service to the Church and the Ukrainian people.”
Recalling his enthronement in Kyiv’s historic Saint Sophia Cathedral, Metropolitan Epifaniy noted: “Today marks the seventh anniversary of the enthronement that took place within the sacred walls of the Cathedral of Holy Wisdom — the historic see of the Primates of the Church of Kyiv and all our Ukraine-Rus’. Once again, gathered in this sacred place, in the spiritual heart of the Ukrainian people, for the solemn Divine Liturgy, we raised fervent prayers to God and His Most Pure Mother — first of all in thanksgiving for the countless blessings granted by the Almighty to us and to our Local Church.”
Reflecting on the establishment of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, he emphasized: “By God’s grace, we emerged from the cursed spiritual captivity of the ‘Russian world,’ setting out on the path appointed to us by God. Then, at the Unification Council here, in this spiritual heart of Ukrainian Orthodoxy, the Holy Spirit accomplished a true providential miracle of our unity, and we will never cease to thank God for this.”
He spoke of the Church’s role amid war and aggression: “Knowing the trials our people would face, and the evil plans conceived by the Kremlin tyrant to destroy us, the Lord placed the one Local Orthodox Church of Ukraine like an unshakable spiritual fortress upon a rock. So that in these terrible times, the Ukrainian Church would inspire the people to resist evil, would carry out her ministry of witnessing to the truth, would bless the defenders and pray for victory.”
Calling for prayer and perseverance, Metropolitan Epifaniy wrote: “Today, fulfilling this duty and calling, we raise especially fervent prayers of thanksgiving to God and ask Him for help and protection from the Moscow Herod and his forces. We ask for the victory of truth and a lasting, just peace for Ukraine.”
He acknowledged the suffering of the people and the Church, adding: “Together with the Ukrainian people, our Local Church feels pain and suffers, as the Russian empire of evil uses bribery and intimidation, deadly weapons and cunning lies, and every kind of devilish tool to try to return us to slavery, to prevent us from being free. But in these trials and sufferings, in the face of the challenges of war, we must not lose heart, nurturing hope that the Lord will surely stop evil and, by His unfathomable providence, will turn its consequences to good. This is how it always happens: the Lord restrains evil by His providence and turns its consequences to good.”
Reflecting on the seven years of his primatial ministry, he noted: “Dear brothers and sisters, not one of these seven years of my Primacy has been easy or simple. Each year has brought difficult challenges — attempts to destroy our unity, the pandemic, the full-scale invasion of the aggressor. Not a single one of these seven years has our Local Church lived in complete calm; rather, she has constantly struggled and continues this struggle.”
He concluded with a message of gratitude and hope: “I sincerely thank all of you, the fullness of our Local Church, for supporting my ministry and for your prayers for me. May the Lord bless the new year of our life with new successes, bring closer the end of Russian aggression, grant us a lasting and true peace, and grant the Church the unity of all. To our God be glory forever and ever!”
