Patriarchs concelebrate liturgy dedicated to Baptism of Rus

(UOC-MP News) - Concelebrating to the Ecumenical Patriarch were Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia, Archbishop Hieronymos of Athens and All Greece, Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albania, Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kyiv and All Ukraine, representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches.

At the Liturgy that combined the Greek and Ukrainian traditions were praying and taking the Holy Communion the hierarchs of the Ukrainian and of the Russian Orthodox Churches, clergy of the Kyiv Diocese, Kyivans and guests of the capital. Among the high guests were president of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko (who soon left for the Ivano-Frankivsk region to support the victims of natural disaster), Secretary of the National Defence Council of Ukraine R.Bogatyriova, Minister of Defense Yuriy Ekhanurov, Head of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine A.Yatsenyuk.

The Liturgy was accompanied by the singing of two choirs: the choir of the Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary (choirmaster hieromonk Roman (Pidlubnyak)) and the Byzantine choir from Greece (under the guidance of L.Angelopoulos).

Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kyiv and All Ukraine noted in his address to all those present: "The split is an open and burning wound which cannot leave us indifferent. We hope for the solution of this problem. Our loving hearts are open for our brothers and we are ready to accept all of them".

His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II, addressing the clergy and the flock stated: "The Russian Orthodox Church has created all conditions for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, whose Primate is His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr, to fulfill her pastoral care of the Ukrainian nation. I am sure that this mission is fully compatible with preservation of the unity of Russian Orthodoxy".
"The unity of Russian Orthodoxy cannot prevent full-flood life of the sovereign countries - successors of the Kyivan Rus. Our Church holds in respect their sovereignty and is interested in strengthening and welfare of their nations. She is open to the closest interrelation on the basis of the evangelic values with the authorities of every country where her flock lives', underscored the Primate of the ROC.

In his sermon after the Liturgy Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I focused attention on the church unity and danger of splits. He noted that "the unity in Christ of the local as well as of the ecclesial body throughout the Œcumene cannot tolerate divisions or conflicts". "Any division of the ecclesial body offends its divine Head and renders the gifts of the Holy Spirit inoperative for those who are the cause of the division and those who are indifferent of it".
The Ecumenical Patriarch stated that he Mother Church of Constantinople suffers together with the dearest daughter Church of Ukraine for the dangerous divisions of its ecclesial body and cares, as if it were her own body,", and assured that he for the speedy and full restoration of the desired and God-loving unity.

On behalf of the Constantinople Church His All Holiness addressed all the participants of the long-term church confrontation in Ukraine with request "to consider each his own responsibilities and-in the name of God!-to act in sincerity, doing whatever is necessary for the peace and unity lest the evil, hardened in time, worsen with obvious repercussions for the spiritual and societal coherence of the Ukrainian people."

Patriarch Bartholomew emphasized that "Our joy is complete because in this significant mystagogy rejoices and celebrates with us His Beatitude the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, our beloved brother and co-celebrant Alexei II. On the one had, his participation emphasizes the beneficial power that that baptism had for all; on the other hand, his personal experience during difficult times expresses the sacrificial struggles that are needed for the continuous confirmation of the divine gifts that flow from baptism to all the faithful.".

Patriarch Bartholomew added that "his struggles in defence of baptism's divine gifts under extremely hostile and adverse circumstances during the time of atheism's prevalence are known to all and written indelibly in the memory of the martyred Russian people.". " His struggles are for our holy brother a testimonial account, and for us all an account of pride. Thus rightly we honor in his venerable person the holy Church of Russia because on account of this memorial mystagogy a great joy permeates both heavens and earth for the glory of the Triune Holy God and His holy Church. The Mother Church knows and recognizes all this, and for this reason she bears witness in honor of our beloved brother and co-celebrant Patriarch Alexei".