From October 6 to 13, 2023, with the blessing of the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine, the delegation of the Kyiv Orthodox Theological Academy visited institutions of higher theological education and shrines across Crete and mainland Greece.
According to the OCU website, the delegation was led by KOTA Rector, head of the Department of Spiritual Education and Theological Science, Professor Archpriest Oleksandr Trofymliuk. The visit was held at the invitation of the General Director of the Orthodox Academy of Crete (OAC), Dr. Konstantinos Zorbas, on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the OAC founding.
The delegation also included KOTA vice-rector for scientific work Professor Archpriest Vitaly Klos, member of the KOTA Alumni League Archpriest Ihor Yanchuk, members of the KOTA Supervisory Board – head of the NGO “Association of Volunteer Teams of Ukraine” Bohdan Kolodiy and lawyer Maksym Makeiev, along with the interpreter, Vasyl Prus.
On the first day of the visit, representatives of the Kyiv Academy visited the Orthodox Academy of Crete, where they were received by its General Director Professor Konstantinos Zorbas. During the several-hour meeting, the parties discussed possible ways of cooperation. In addition, the delegation met with OAC researcher Archpriest Dimitrii Katsanos – President of the Council of Christian Churches in Baden-Württemberg (Germany).
Over the course of three days, the delegation of the Kyiv Orthodox Theological Academy saw the institutions and departments operating in the Orthodox Academy of Crete. On October 9, 2023, the KOTA delegation learned about the activities of the Institute of Theology and Ecology of the Orthodox Academy of Crete. The KOTA delegation saw the academic temple in honor of Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius, lecture and conference halls. Of special interest was the large conference hall of the academy, where the All-Orthodox Council was held.
The culmination of the official visit was the solemn signing of an agreement on cooperation between the acclaimed educational and scientific theological institutions of Ukraine and Crete. At the end of their stay at the Orthodox Academy of Crete, the delegation of the Kyiv Orthodox Theological Academy prayed in the academic church in honor of Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius. Here Archpriest Oleksandr Trofymliuk offered a prayer for the speedy victory of Ukraine and a prayer of gratitude for the cooperation of educational institutions.
The guests from Ukraine were welcomed by the director of the academy, Dr. Arvanitis Christoforos, the great proto-syncle of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the professor of the academy, Archimandrite Theodore Meimaris, the head of the Byzantine music department, Michalis Stroumpakis, and numerous representatives of the faculties. During the conversation with the \ staff of the academy, ways of cooperation with the KOTA were discussed. The negotiations resulted in an agreement to sign a memorandum of cooperation between the Kyiv Orthodox Theological Academy and the Patriarchal University Church Academy of Crete.
In the afternoon of October 10, 2023, a delegation of the Kyiv Orthodox Theological Academy visited the administrative center of the Heraklion Archdiocese of the Orthodox Church of Crete. Here the guests from Ukraine were received by the Vicar of the Primate of the Cretan Orthodox Church, Bishop Methodius of Knossos and Archimandrite Bartholomew Voyatzoglu, Protosyncle. The bishop informed that Archbishop Eugenios of Heraklion had a great desire to personally meet with the delegation of the leading institution of higher spiritual education of Ukraine, but on this day he is in Athens, where he accompanies Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
Archpriest Oleksandr Trofymliuk briefed his counterparts on the current state of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in general and institutions of higher spiritual education, in particular. A reception was held in honor of the official delegation of the Kyiv Orthodox Theological Academy. The delegation also visited the shrines of the capital of Crete, primarily the Cathedral of Saint Mina on Venizelos Square in the city of Heraklion. The delegation of the Kyiv Orthodox Theological Academy was able to bow to the holy head of the holy apostle Titus in the cathedral consecrated in honor of the patron saint of Crete – the apostle Titus, who preached Christianity on the island in the 1st century. The delegation of the academy also visited the church of St. Catherine of Sinai and on October 13, 2023, traveled to Ukraine.
