Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Praises Metropolitan Volodymyr for Pro-Unity Work

There is still great hope amongst the various schismatic synods in the Ukraine that the Ecumenical Patriarchate will receive them into its jurisdiction and recognize the independence of their factions of Ukrainian Orthodoxy. Nonetheless, at yesterday's celebrations in honor of the 75th birthday of Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan), First Hierarch of the autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the Constantinopolitan Orthodox Church was represented by its Metropolitan Jeremias (Calligiorgis) of Switzerland. In his congratulations to Metropolitan Volodymyr, Metropolitan Jeremias praised him for his work in preserving and strengthening the unity of the canonical Orthodox Church of the Ukraine, which remains by far the largest synod in the country. More here.

Pictured are Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kiev together with Patriarch Viktor Yanukovych of Ukraine and hierarchs of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.