Message from His Holiness Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia to His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine, archpastors, pastors, monks and nuns and all faithful children of the Russian Orthodox Church, participants of celebrations devoted to the tenth anniversary of the Sacred Bishops’ Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the city of Kharkov on May 27-28, 1992.

MESSAGE
FROM HIS HOLINESS PATRIARCH ALEXY OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA
TO HIS BEATITUDE METROPOLITAN VLADIMIR OF KIEV AND ALL UKRAINE, ARCHPASTORS, PASTORS, MONKS
AND NUNS AND ALL FAITHFUL CHILDREN OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH,
PARTICIPANTS OF CELEBRATIONS DEVOTED TO THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE SACRED BISHOPS’ COUNCIL OF THE UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
IN THE CITY OF KHARKOV ON MAY 27-28, 1992.

Your Beatitude,
Beloved archpastors,
Dear fathers, brothers and sisters,

I heartily congratulate you on the significant historic date, which is the 10th anniversary of the Kharkov Bishops’ Council.

The Kharkov Bishops’ Council became truly an important landmark in the history of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and was a true demonstration of the counciliar spirit of the Church, a visible example of an action by divine providence.

In this regard, the Kharkov Council is similar to ancient Councils of the Orthodox Church when epoch-making decisions were taken under guidance of the Holy Spirit and most important resolutions on basic questions of the church life were approved.

Participants in the Kharkov Bishops’ Council fulfilled their archpastoral duties in full measure. Under difficult circumstances they did not give in to outside pressure, kept their faithfulness to the canonical structure of the Church, and protected the unity of Holy Orthodoxy. Successful implementation of the Council’s decisions became possible as they were approved by a considerable majority of the clergy and faithful, who supported their archpastors and, in spite of serious trials that fell to their lot, remained faithful to the Mother Church.

We see a way to prosperity and well-being of Orthodoxy in Ukraine in uninterrupted unity of bishops, priests, monks, nuns and laity, which is the unity of love for Christ and His Holy Church. May the Lord grant the beloved and dear children of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to live in harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, as the Apostle said (Rom 15,5).

On these days of church celebrations we especially ought to note the ardent work and ministry to the unity of Orthodoxy that has been carried out for ten years now by Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and Ukraine, who was elected primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church at the Kharkov Council.

In the years of Metropolitan Vladimir’s primatial office, the Ukrainian Church has had to face many sorrows and hardships, but no power has been able to prevent her from carrying out her primary mission of salvific witness to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Metropolitan Vladimir has become an example to follow for many people, inspiring his fellow-archpastors by the evangelic way of his virtuous life and his prayer and edification, educating spiritual children and bearing convincing witness before outsiders to the unfading beauty of Holy Orthodoxy.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church has grown and strengthened spiritually all these years despite considerable difficulties and thanks to the wise leadership of her primate and to the efforts of her archpastors, clerics and pious laity. Watching it today, we rejoice at good and respectful relations established between the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian state leadership for the benefit of the beloved Ukrainian people.

The participants in the Kharkov Council, which we commemorate today, remained faithful to the Holy Tradition and the spirit of the Orthodox Church. Let us always fulfill the words of St. Paul: ‘Brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions’ (2Thess 2, 15).

May the all-generous Lord grant His grace-giving help to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in further growing and strengthening, as she remains in prayerful unity with the Russian Church and all the plenitude of Universal Orthodoxy. May the protection of the Holy Virgin and the prayerful intercession of Sts Anthony and Theodosius and other wonderworkers of the Kievan Caves, as well as St. Job of Pochaev and all God’s saints who lived in God-loving Ukraine be with us all.

PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA