Ukrainian Orthodox Church Signs Agreement with State Penitentiary

Representatives of the autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine have signed an agreement confirming and broadening the cooperative efforts of the two organizations to care for the spiritual needs of prisoners in Ukraine. More (in Ukrainian) here.

Metropolitan Volodymyr Meets with Ukrainian Defense Minister

Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev has met with Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Yezhel to discuss plans for the development of a military chaplaincy and spheres of cooperation between the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church. During the meeting Metropolitan Volodymyr awarded Yezhel the Order of St. Vladimir. More (in Ukrainian) here.

Russian Orthodox Church Works to Develop Prison Ministries

The leadership of the Synodal Department for Prison Ministry of the Russian Orthodox Church has met under Bishop Irinarkh (Grezin) of Krasnogorsk, an auxiliary of the Eparchy of Moscow, to continue working on the development of district rehabilitation centers for former prisoners, the education of prison chaplains, the development of rehabilitation centers for minors, and the amendment of prison regulations to enable prisoners to more easily attend the divine services in prison churches. More (in Russian) here.