Metropolitan Onuphry meets with U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine

The UOC Primate discussed the protection of religious freedom with the U.S. diplomat.

On December 21, 2018, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine met with U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch at his residence at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, the UOC Information and Education Department reported.

The meeting was also attended by U.S. Embassy Political Section officer A. Cooper, interpreter V. Pasechnik, and Archpriest Mykola Danylevych, deputy head of the UOC Department for External Church Relations.

The Primate and the U.S. diplomat discussed a number of current issues concerning church life and church-state relations, as well as the protection of the right to freedom of religion.

Earlier, the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine congratulated Epifaniy on his election as head of the OCU. As the UOJ reported, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino said that the United States supported the new church structure established in Ukraine and believed that religious freedom should not be impeded by outside interference.