Constantinople Patriarchate Considers Metropolitan Vladimir as a Key Figure in Ukrainian Orthodoxy
Kiev, 6 October 2009, Interfax - Constantinople views Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine as a spiritual leader of the Ukrainian Orthodox believers.
Thus, the representatives of the Constantinople Patriarchate at a meeting with Metropolitan Vladimir in Kiev "highlighted that Metropolitan had united all Orthodox believers of Ukraine, regardless of their jurisdiction," the Ukrainian Orthodox Church website reports.
Constantinople representatives also thanked the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church "for his efforts to unite Orthodox believers of Ukraine" and said that the purpose of their visit to Ukraine was to assist the country in overcoming schisms.
"They emphasized, however, that the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople would not act unilaterally, but only in close cooperation with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church," the report says.
Metropolitan Vladimir, in his turn, awarded his guests and Pyotr Yuschenko, head of the For Local Ukraine NGO, who was also present at the meeting, with anniversary orders "The 450th Anniversary of Bringing the Pochayev Icon of Holy Mother to Volyn".