On the feast day of the Archangel Michael and other Heavenly Incorporeal Forces Cathedral, the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epifaniy, congratulated Bishop Michael of Koman, Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarch in Ukraine, on the day of the heavenly patron.
Together with the clergy of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, the latter celebrated a liturgy in St. Michael’s Monastery, the press service of the Stauropegion of the Ecumenical Patriarchate reported.
“Please accept, with a feeling of brotherly love, our best wishes,” said Metropolitan Epifaniy. “The first anniversary of your episcopal ordination has recently been celebrated. We love you, we respect you, so today we want the Lord to give you strength and inspiration to carry this difficult cross of archpastoral ministry, representing here with dignity, within our Local Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the Ecumenical Patriarch, to whom we are grateful for his last visit.”
He added that the OCU is grateful to Bartholomew “for many things, but we especially remember those days when His All-Holiness was able to be with us, here in this temple, offering prayers together.”
In memory of the prayer, Bishop Michael presented Metropolitan Epifaniy an icon.
The Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarch, Bishop Michael, thanked the head of the OCU for the warm greetings, adding that he felt joy when he came to St. Michael’s Cathedral to serve there at the invitation of His Beatitude Epifaniy, governor of the monastery, and the clergy.
He noted that St. Michael’s Monastery became a spiritual refuge for him.
“Before starting work in Stauropegion, I would come to His Beatitude and receive both help and advice. My personal life is connected with this monastery. So thank you again, Your Beatitude, for your support, for your timely guidance when it’s so needed, for your helpm and for the invitation, as you sincerely open your heart in a fraternal way, so that we may pray together, co-serve at the throne and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ together under the protection and blessing of St. Michael the Archangel in this monastery,” said Bishop Michael of Koman.
