On June 11, 2021, on the day Ukraine and the whole world celebrate the name day of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the book “BARTHOLOMEW: Apostle and Visionary” was presented at the residence of Metropolitan Epifaniy, the head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
The exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarch in Kyiv, Bishop Mykhailo (Anishchenko), said that the book about the Patriarch is “a publication dedicated to young people so that they can see that anything can be achieved by making an effort, getting an education, and pursuing their goal. This is a book that can be a stimulus for the development of many young people,” the New Library of Sophia of Wisdom reports.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk noted that Patriarch Bartholomew is one of the greatest intellectuals of our time, not only in terms of the church’s perspective or his significance for the Orthodox world but also in terms of modern human civilization, which needs to develop a culture of encounter. He shared his personal impressions from the meeting with the patriarch in September 2019: “This is a man full of special energy, a kind of a spring that constantly radiates power, will, and ability to move forward church, public, and interstate life.”
Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church Vitaliy Kryvytskyi noted the role of the patriarch in the interfaith dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. “Bartholomew knew the five Popes who succeeded each other. He participated in numerous meetings on interfaith dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. He is widely criticized for pursuing this dialogue, for not dwelling in his convenient, narrow world. On the other hand, he invites each of us to step out of our narrow world and have a dialogue that is able to mend wounds.”
Oleksandra Humenna, Acting President of the National University Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, has referred to Patriarch Bartholomew as an Ambassador of sustainable development. “We have to think of how to pass on a fair and comfortable world to our descendants. To understand what this world should be like, we need to remember the past well, understand the present, and build a better future. And all this is relevant to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. He is the one who builds bridges in an ever-changing world.”
Lidia Lozova, translator and editor-in-chief of the publication, spoke about the peculiarities of her work on the book and quoted her favorite excerpt about dignity, and noted how important it is not to betray oneself in life. “Working on this book and delving into the image of the church offered by its author, I felt that dialogue was important to me personally. Like the whole book, it teaches everyone to cherish, appreciate, and not to hurt the image of God inside of us and our own calling in the face of the greatest trials, even if these trials are developing in the church itself.”
The book’s presentation was the first event in the context of preparations for meeting the Ecumenical Patriarch in Ukraine on the country’s Independence Day.
