Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich): in 2016 UOC increased by 100 parishes – indication of trust of Ukrainians (VIDEO)

"This year is the year of the 1000th anniversary of Russian monasticism on Mount Athos. This year the All-Ukrainian Cross Procession was dedicated to this glorious event and the wish of our Church to unite people of East and West, to show that we all want peace, we all want the integrity of our country and we want our country to have prospects for development," said the Metropolitan.

He stressed that "the people who labored in this Cross Procession, who walked many kilometers and suffered both physical deprivation and pressure of the media, which did not want to understand the purpose of the religious procession, – these people received spiritual enjoyment and spiritual support."

"Reports of the Synodal departments have shown multi-vector approach and the scale of our Church. Given the difficult situation, even with the registration of our statutes, we saw our Church increased by almost 100 parishes for the year. This suggests that people trust our Church because the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is the Church of the Ukrainian people," said in the conclusion Metropolitan Anthony.

On December 29, a regular session of the Holy Synod of the UOC took place in.the residence of the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on the territory of the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.

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