Address by Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk to the Bishops' Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Honorable Lords!

On the occasion of the beginning of the Bishops’ Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, accept my congratulations and assurances that the Government of Ukraine is to consistently uphold the principle of freedom of conscience as well as protect fundamental human rights.

Your Council is being held at a time when the Ukrainian people have stood up in order to defend their Homeland against external aggression and terrorist attacks, when every day the best sons and daughters of Ukraine die on the battlefield for our future. These days, the society turns to the Church for spiritual support, for hope’s strengthening, for a blessing on the resistance of the enemy.

The public expects from their Church’s leaders sacrifice and moral excellence, patriotism, balanced, but decisive action for the sake of social cohesion, the liberation of our lands from invaders and return of Ukrainians to peaceful creative work.

You, the Bishops gathering in Kyiv from the whole Ukraine, are entrusted with a special mission - to elect a new Metropolitan of Kyiv, who shall continue business of those Kyiv metropolitans, who wanted to see our country an independent and prosperous one, and its Orthodox Church as a united and adequately represented one in the Ecumenical Orthodoxy.

I wish the Fathers of the Council God's abundant blessings, deep wisdom and high responsibility.

Yours faithfully,

Prime Minister of Ukraine                                                                  Arseniy Yatsenyuk