Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Vasyl Bodnar, has told the Spiritual Front of Ukraine about the latest preparations for the visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Ukraine.
“During the conversation with the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, His Beatitude Metropolitan Epifaniy, a number of practical organizational issues were discussed ahead of the Ukraine visit of the Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. The main focus was on developing the key elements of the visit’s schedule, settling organizational and protocol issues,” Vasyl Bodnar said.
“As you know, in May of this year I had the honor to visit the Ecumenical Patriarch and discuss the details of the visit. In the same context, Metropolitan Emmanuel of the Ecumenical Patriarchate has also visited Kyiv for meetings with the Ukrainian side,” the Deputy Minister concluded.
On June 11 this year, Deputy Foreign Minister Vasyl Bodnar discussed with OCU leader Metropolitan Epifaniy the organization of the Ecumenical Patriarch’s visit.
On October 16, 2020, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky invited the Ecumenical Patriarch to Ukraine for the 30th anniversary of the country’s independence.
On May 26, 2021, hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Constantinople, Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, met with His Beatitude Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine and reported on the details of the upcoming visit by the Ecumenical Patriarch.
The Ecumenical Patriarch assured pilgrims from Ukraine of his upcoming visit to Kyiv. Also, late May, the Head of the Presidential Office discussed with Metropolitan Emanuel the visit of the Ecumenical Patriarch to Ukraine on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence.
