Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria greets Met Onuphry on enthronement anniversary

Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria. Photo: bg-patriarshia.bg

His Holiness Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria, Metropolitan of Sofia, sent a congratulatory message on the 10th anniversary of the enthronement of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine, reports mitropolia-sofia.org.

“On this day, exactly ten years ago, your solemn enthronement as Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine took place following the canonical election conducted by the bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Over this decade, you have established yourself as a worthy successor to the great hierarchs and confessors who have presided over the Metropolitan See of Kyiv,” the message reads.

The Bulgarian Patriarch noted that modesty, humility, patience, love for monasticism and monastic life, and the commitment to the strict observance of the canonical order, as passed down by the holy fathers in the Church, are characteristic features of the challenging ministry of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry as the Primate of the fraternal Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

“The time of your Primacy has been marked by severe trials for the Ukrainian people and its Church. You have resisted and continue to resist, with God’s help, all attempts at disunity, preserving the unity, integrity and canonicity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. At the same time, these were years of division in the Ukrainian society itself, during which you always showed yourself as a unifier and peacemaker, which is the evangelical duty of every true shepherd of Christ,’ he noted.

Patriarch Daniel recalled that in recent years brotherly Ukraine has been passing through the terrible crucible of a bloody war, and therefore everyone is earnestly praying for peace in Ukraine, which is an important condition for peace throughout the world.

“We pray for you personally that the All-Merciful Lord grant you many more years in health, spiritual wisdom and strength to lead your God-entrusted Ukrainian Orthodox Church for the salvation, peace, and spiritual prosperity of the pious Ukrainian people,” the Primate of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church wished.

As reported by the UOJ, His Beatitude was also congratulated on the 10th anniversary of his enthronement by Serbian Patriarch Porfirije, Georgian Patriarch Ilia, Patriarch John X of Antioch, Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and the Littoral, and Archbishop Michael of Prague and the Czech Lands and Metropolitan Gabriel of Lovech.

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