Chernivtsi Cathedral
June 1, 2024
Your Beatitude,
It is a joy for me to be here with you and all the brother bishops, priests, and the faithful who have gathered here during this Paschal season at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit.
The rich cultural heritage of the city is a microcosm of the rich culture of Ukraine, a cultural richness which the Church embraces and which in turn strengthens your holy Church in this God-protected land.
Thus, as I thank Your Beatitude and the clergy and people of Chernivtsi for your welcome and for your generous hospitality, I would like to reiterate my unyielding fraternal love and support for Your Beatitude, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and the entire Ukrainian people.
In this regard, while we of course affirm the right and obligation of your beloved country of Ukraine to defend itself against unjustified aggression, we also implore the civil authorities of this land to respect religious freedom, due process, and the norms of international law. We express this out of love for Your Beatitude and your God-protected Church, but also out of love for the whole Ukrainian people, who are presently engaged in a struggle to preserve both their land and their freedom.
Once again, on behalf of the Orthodox Church in America, I greet Your Beatitude with true joy and deep love, and I say once more:
Christ is risen!