He was one of the strongest defenders of the Ukrainian church - Zelenskyy on Patriarch Filaret
Kyiv • UNN
The President expressed condolences on the death of Patriarch Filaret at the age of 98. The Head of State noted his role in the struggle for the independence of the church.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke with Metropolitan Epiphanius of the OCU and expressed condolences to him and all Orthodox Christians on the death of Patriarch Filaret, UNN reports.
... the earthly journey of Patriarch Filaret has ended. A great loss for Ukrainians. He was a strong personality and one of the staunchest defenders of the Ukrainian church, independence, and statehood
The President emphasized that the Ukrainian people will always honor Patriarch Filaret's contribution to the development of the local church.
Without the energy, character, and courage of Patriarch Filaret, many of Ukraine's achievements simply would not have happened. We also remember how Patriarch Filaret taught us to unite around the idea of a strong, independent Ukraine. May he rest in peace!
Recall
Patriarch Filaret, who headed the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate, died at the age of 98 after a long ministry.
As reported by UNN, in March, Patriarch Filaret was hospitalized due to an exacerbation of chronic ailments.
For reference
Filaret is one of the most famous and influential figures in the history of Ukrainian Orthodoxy, and his church activities span several decades. For many years, Filaret headed the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate and remained its key spiritual and administrative leader. It was his name that for a long time was associated with the struggle for a separate status of the Ukrainian church and its independence from Moscow.
After the Unification Council and the creation of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the new church structure received a tomos of autocephaly from Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. After this, Filaret received the title of Honorary Patriarch.
At the same time, his role in church life after the creation of the OCU repeatedly became the subject of separate discussions and public disputes, but in the public space he is still associated with the long history of the Kyiv Patriarchate and the process of establishing an independent Ukrainian church.