23 June 2018 with the blessing of his Beatitude Metropolitan of Kyiv and all Ukraine Onufriy, the delegation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church headed by Permanent member of the Holy Synod, the Metropolitan of Odessa and Izmail Agafangel arrived at the invitation of the Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Istanbul on the official audience. Reported Information-enlightenment Department of the UOC.
The delegation composed of the permanent members of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Metropolitan of Donetsk and Mariupol Hilarion, Kamianets-Podilskyi and Gorodok Theodore, Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary; Archpriest Nikolay Danilevich, Deputy Chairman of the DECR of the UOC, and others.
Before the meeting, the delegation visited the Hagia Sophia, where he prayed for peace in our country. Then the delegation arrived at the Fanar (district of Istanbul), where is located the official residence of the Ecumenical Patriarch.
Here in the Patriarchal Church of St. George Metropolitan of the UOC venerated local shrines — the miraculous icons and relics of the three saints and prayed for peace in Ukraine.
Before the meeting, Patriarch Bartholomew said a prayer, and members of the delegation began negotiations. The Patriarch of Constantinople welcomed the delegation of the UOC and introduced his assistants to the meeting: Metropolitan John of Pergamon, Metropolitan Emmanuel Gali, Metropolitan Bartholomew of Smyrna, and also the staff of the Patriarchate.
The Metropolitan, as the head of the delegation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, welcomed Patriarch Bartholomew conveyed the best wishes of his Beatitude Metropolitan of Kyiv and all Ukraine Onuphrius and thanked for the warm reception and the opportunity to discuss important, pressing issues in the Affairs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Then the talks continued.
Photo a press-service of the Odessa diocese