Antiochian Church bishop comes “within the bounds of the Donetsk Eparchy”

Bishop Dimitry of Safita (in the center) in Mariupol. Photo: Alexander Ivanov

On May 8, 2025, Bishop Dimitry of Safita of the Antiochian Church arrived on a visit to the "territory of the Donetsk Eparchy", reports the Moscow Patriarchate's website.

The Antiochian hierarch, "with the blessing of Patriarch Kirill", visited churches in the occupied Mariupol along with the newly appointed Metropolitan Vladimir of Donetsk and Mariupol from the ROC.

It is reported that Bishop Dimitry of Safita visited the rebuilt Assumption and Transfiguration Churches, which were completely destroyed, as well as the St Nicholas Cathedral.

The text says that “the ruling bishop introduced the vicar of the Akkar Metropolis to the life of Orthodox Christians in the Donbass, the peculiarities of church life in the conditions of hostilities, and also spoke about the revival of shrines destroyed by war.” The hierarchs were accompanied by representatives of the "DPR government".

Earlier, the UOJ analyzed why the ROC Synod's removal of Donetsk Metropolitan Hilarion in October 2024 violated canonical norms.

Read also