Patriarch Filaret of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate met with Metropolitan Epiphanius, the head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, at the Metropolitan House, where other hierarchs of the OCU were also present, reports Baltimore Chronicle with reference to the OCU press service. During the meeting, Metropolitan Epiphanius congratulated Patriarch Filaret on the 30th anniversary of his enthronement and expressed gratitude for his long-term service in building the autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
According to the OCU, the conversation emphasized the use of the Ukrainian language in liturgical services, describing it as a “cornerstone for the church’s development and consolidation.” Patriarch Filaret stressed the importance of mutual love and continuous gratitude to God for His blessings, noting, “God is love. In the Kingdom of God, love reigns; God created the world out of love and suffered for it. Therefore, we must love one another.”
During the meeting, Patriarch Filaret received a letter of appreciation from the head of the OCU on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the consecration of St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral. The meeting concluded with a joint prayer by the hierarchs for Ukraine’s victory over Russia.
Earlier, at the end of August, the OCU website published a message noting an “obvious deterioration in Patriarch Filaret’s health” and called on the faithful to pray for him. At the same time, the Kyiv Patriarchate reported that the patriarch is undergoing a scheduled medical examination and treatment, his health condition is satisfactory, but prayers for his well-being were still requested.
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