Head of Ukraine's Orthodox Church Dies at 78

 

Putin expresses condolences over death of Ukrainian Metropolitan Vladimir 

Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church died in a Kiev hospital from cancer at the age of 78

"This is a pastoral talent to say the truth," Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill said in an interview. 

Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill said in an interview with Kiev-based TV channel Inter that he noted an outstanding role of late Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine Vladimir (Sabodan) in preserving canonical Orthodoxy in Ukraine.

“I was convinced that when he was at the helm of clerical authorities in Ukraine, our Church would not be subject to a split and no steps were taken that would undermine canonical Orthodox faith on Ukrainian soil. And I thank the God that my confidence and my calm were fully justified,” Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia His Holiness Kirill said in an interview with TV channel Inter.

The supreme hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church paid tribute to pastoral care of the late church hierarch about observance of virtues by Ukrainian believers. “He is a son of Ukraine. I would say he was a very intelligent Ukrainian, he knew Ukrainian language perfectly well, could write and speak Ukrainian, meanwhile, an ideal language. 

Meanwhile, he was a really loyal servant of the Church - a common Russian Orthodox Church,” Patriarch Kirill said. In his words, Metropolitan Vladimir “adhered very firmly to a canonical position, therefore, neither surprises, nor intrigue nor any unpredicted steps should have been expected from him” and the whole episcopate trusted him.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is a self-governed church within the Moscow Patriarchate with the largest number of 35 million believers and 11 thousand parishes. Along with it, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate with 3.5 thousand parishes and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church with 1.2 thousand communities not recognized by the Christian Orthodox world act in Ukraine.