DESS signs Memorandum on Cooperation in the Religious Sphere with Greece

Signing of the memorandum of understanding between SSESS and Greece. Photo: dess.gov.ua

On June 18, 2025, in the Metropolitan’s House of the National Preserve “Saint Sophia of Kyiv,” the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS) and the Secretariat for Religious Affairs of the Ministry of Education, Religion, and Sports of the Hellenic Republic signed a Memorandum of Understanding, according to the DESS website.

According to Viktor Yelensky, the memorandum will contribute to the development of the Church “to which millions of our compatriots are now turning – the Church that stands with the people, that supports both the front and the rear, and remains with the nation in all times.”

Georgios Kalantzis, Secretary General for Religious Affairs of the Greek Ministry, responded to Yelensky:

“With great respect and reverence, we greet you and thank you for your struggle for peace and for embodying universal values. These values are shared and lived by the courageous Ukrainian people, whose faith serves as a beacon of hope for the world. We are here today not only as friends but as those inspired by your fight. Today marks the beginning of a great partnership.”

According to the memorandum, cooperation will include the exchange and implementation of Greek language courses in Ukrainian theological academies, the provision of scholarships, and the supply of modern theological literature to libraries. Particular attention will be given to the development of programs in military and medical chaplaincy, spiritual-psychological therapy, and the organization of wellness retreats for chaplains and military personnel, as well as summer camps for children from war-affected areas.

The agreement also envisions joint conferences, seminars, summer schools, and forums to “strengthen peace and mutual understanding between religious communities.” Ukrainian officials also aim to establish ties with renowned theological faculties in Greece – including those in Thessaloniki, Athens, and institutions under the Church of Greece.

DESS representatives gave the Greek delegation a guided tour of “Saint Sophia of Kyiv,” showing them a section of the preserve reportedly damaged in one of the latest mass missile attacks on the capital.

After the signing, the participants met with the head of the OCU, Epifany.

“This meeting became yet another step toward strengthening understanding and cooperation between the two peoples, united by a common faith and shared cultural values – values that lay the foundation for a future in which compassion, knowledge, and service will contribute to peace,” DESS stated.

As previously reported by the UOJ, in Chernivtsi, OCU militants attempted to seize the UOC’s cathedral and brutally assaulted several priests. One UOC cleric remains in serious condition in the hospital with broken ribs and multiple contusions to the lungs, heart, chest, pelvis, and leg. From his hospital bed, a UOC priest invited the Ecumenical Patriarch to come to Chernivtsi and see firsthand the lawlessness perpetrated by his spiritual children.

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