On 25 June 2019, Metropolitan Meletios of Carthage delivered an address at the celebration of the Name Day of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine with wishes of long years of life, physical and moral strength and conveyed greetings from His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, with wishes of longevity, physical health, moral strength and unalloyed pastoral ministry for the good of the pious Ukrainian people.
He said, “Our joy is multiplied by the presence of our brethren from the most part of the Autocephalous Orthodox Churches, testifying to the bonds of love in Truth that unites our Churches as members of the one Body of Christ and confirming a special profound respect and gratitude of the entire Orthodox Church to you, Metropolitan Onuphry.”
Metropolitan Meletios continued to say that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was experiencing trials and disorder and added: “Our presence here is aimed at showing that we, your brothers, wish to support you and assure you that all Local Churches share your anxiety over unity of your flock. Rest assured that the Church of Alexandria in common care and fraternal cooperation with Primates of other Churches is praying and doing all it can to find a way for avoiding temptation within ecclesiastical tradition and order and to restore peace of Christ in the Ukrainian Church and in the universal Orthodox Church.
“For the solution of this problem, it is necessary to comprehend and recognize that the Church is not an arena for geopolitical strategy or political interference. The Church is a high place for serving people with the single purpose to enlighten all the believers by bringing good news of Christ to them.
“All Orthodox Churches are convinced in the unity of the holy Metropolis of Kiev with the Moscow Patriarchate. Notwithstanding the unfavourable circumstances of the recent time, persecutions and seizure of the church buildings, millions of the Ukrainian Orthodox remain faithful to the Mother Church and to you, Your Beatitude brother Onufry”.
The guest from the Orthodox Church of Alexandria reminded the audience of the words of His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria addressed to the Ukrainian Orthodox during his visit to Odessa last year: “Keep the Orthodox faith and remain in the canonical Church.” He encouraged them to keep up their courage as “the black cloud will soon disappear.”
