Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine wished all the best to Ecumenical Patriarch Barthalomew on his name day through a letter.
Firstly, he mentioned that the Orthodox Church has a worthy Ecumenical Patriarch, who despite the challenges, “that constantly arise before the Church” he “wisely guides the ship entrusted”to him “by God, directing it to a quiet harbor and safe waters.”
He states that the contribution and guidance of the Ecumenical Patriarch are particularly important especially at this time that “Ukrainian people and we, as the Church of Ukraine, are going through terrible trials due to the war brought to our peaceful land by the Russian aggressors.” “Your support and the support of the Mother Church of Constantinople is especially valuable,” he added.
Finally, he said: “We wish you many blessed years of service to God and His Holy Church, health, success in your work for the development of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Orthodoxy and all of Christianity.”
Read the entire letter of Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine:
Most Holy Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome, Ecumenical Patriarch, in Christ God very dear and desirable brother and co-servant of our humility, Bishop Bartholomew, We embrace Your Holiness in the Lord and sincerely and joyfully congratulate you.
From the bottom of my heart, on the day of the holy apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas, when Your Holiness celebrates his name day, through this letter and through our authorized representative, the Most Reverend Metropolitan of the city of Bila Tserkva, I ask you to accept greetings from me personally and from the entirety of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
The Orthodox Church has a worthy Ecumenical Patriarch – the first among the Orthodox hierarchs, a pious servant of God, the head of the apostolic throne of the Great Church of Christ in Constantinople – New Rome, a teacher of the faith, a father and shepherd, a defender of the canonical order, a preacher of the Gospel of Christ and the Orthodox Tradition. In the stormy sea of modern times, among the challenges that constantly arise before the Church, You, Your Holiness, wisely guide the ship entrusted to You by God, directing it to a quiet harbor and safe waters.
At a time when our Ukrainian people and we, as the Church of Ukraine, are going through terrible trials due to the war brought to our peaceful land by the Russian aggressors, your support and the support of the Mother Church of Constantinople is especially valuable, which is manifested through prayer for Ukraine, through humanitarian and material assistance to the victims, through witnessing the truth to the world and publicly exposing and condemning the evil and unholy narrative of the “Russian peace”.
Your Holiness!
We are sending you greetings with love on the occasion of your name day, we wish you many blessed years of service to God and His Holy Church, as well as health, success in your work for the development of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Orthodoxy and all of Christianity. Invariably and always, we pray for you and ask for your holy prayers for the speedy victory of truth and peace for Ukraine.
We wish you all the best, Your Holiness!
With love in Christ, your brother –
Epifaniy,
Metropolitan of Kyiv and All UkraineKyiv,
June 11, 2023
