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During a briefing that took place at the Kiev Caves Lavra of the Holy Dormition on 24th June 2019, Bishop Antonije of Moravica expressed support for the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Together with representatives of other Local Orthodox Churches, the hierarch of the Serbian Patriarchate arrived in Kiev to attend the celebrations marking the Name Day of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine, the 5th anniversary of his Primatial ministry and his 75th birthday.

As Bishop Antonije noted during the briefing, he had arrived in Kiev to greet His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry on behalf of the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church and His Holiness Patriarch Irinej.

The Serbian Patriarch sent a message of greetings to His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry. The Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was also presented with a lofty award of the Serbian Patriarchate – the Order of the Holy Emperor Constantine – “for his selfless service in love, as well as for his steadfast, courageous, untiring, dignified and confessor-like defence of the unity of the Holy Orthodox Church of Christ.”

“[Metropolitan Onufry] makes a great contribution to the unity of Orthodoxy,” Bishop Antonije said, “Under his clear guidance, under his omophorion, people were being and continue to be saved, and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is growing day after day. Truly, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry shows the path of unity to those Orthodox Christians who want to embark on it.”

“We do not know any other Local Churches in Ukraine except the Church led by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine. May God grant him good health and longevity! On behalf of the plenitude of the Serbian Orthodox Church we greet him and wish him many and good years,” Vladyka Antonije added.

DECR Communication Service/

Information and Education Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church