Joint delegation of the Patriarchates of Moscow and Constantinople visits Kiev

JOINT DELEGATION OF THE PATRIARCHATES OF MOSCOW AND CONSTANTINOPLE VISITS KIEV

In compliance with the agreement reached at the conversations of the official delegations of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and Moscow in Zurich on 19-20 April 2001, the delegation of both Churches visited Kiev on May 26-28 to study the situation of the Church in Ukraine and discuss possible common actions aimed at the overcoming of the existing schisms.

On behalf of the Patriarchate of Constantinople the delegation included Archimandrite Athenagoras (Pekstadt) and hieromonk Hilarion (Rudnik) who acted as an interpreter. The Moscow Patriarchate was represented by Archpriest Nicholas Balashov, acting secretary for inter-Orthodox relations and institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church located abroad and Mr.P..Lagovsky, a staff member of the DECR.

The delegation was received by His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine, Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, who estimated the religious situation in the country and shared his vision of the ways of healing the schisms on the basis of holy canons and in the spirit of reconciling love.

The members of the delegation also had meeting with the representatives of the groups which stay outside communion with the Church.

The delegation visited the State Committee for Religions in Ukraine and had a talk with its chairman V.D.Bondarenko. The members of the delegation expressed to His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine their gratitude for hospitality and an opportunity to venerate the holy items in the Laura of the Caves in Kiev.