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On 14 November 2010, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, currently on a visit of Ukraine with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, visited Poltava.

In the morning Metropolitan Hilarion celebrated Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Venerable Martyr Makary of Kanev.

Concelebrating with the DECR chairman were Archbishop Filipp of Poltava and Mirgorod; Rev. Igor Yakimchuk, DECR secretary for inter-Orthodox Relations; hierodeacon Ioann (Kopeikin), assistant to DECR chairman; protodeacon Viktor Shilovsky, a cleric of St. Nicholas’ Cathedral in Vienna; and clergymen of the Poltava diocese.

Archbishop Filipp greeted the guests after the divine service. In his address, Metropolitan Hilarion thanked him for hospitality and good wishes and delivered a sermon.

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk and Archbishop Filipp of Poltava and Mirgorod exchanged gifts to commemorate concelebration of the Divine Liturgy.

The ruling hierarch of the Poltava diocese showed the holy places and sights of Poltava to Metropolitan Hilarion and his suite. They visited the Church of the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope and Love and their mother Sophia; the Convent of the Exaltation of the Cross; and the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ currently under construction.

The guests also visited the site of the Battle of Poltava of 1709. Metropolitan Hilarion and his companions celebrated the requiem litiya at the cross set up at the common grave of the Russian soldiers killed in the battle. The guests also visited the Church of St. Samson built at the field of battle.

In the evening, ‘St Matthew Passion” Oratorio by Metropolitan Hilarion was performed at the “Listopad” Palace of Culture in Poltava.