On the eve of the Bright Resurrection of Christ, metropolitan Gabriel of Lovchansk (Bulgarian Orthodox Church) sent Easter greetings to His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian people.

“Christ is Risen!

Your Bliss! Dear Lord Metropolitan Onuphry, Metropolitan of All Ukraine, brothers bishops, fathers, monastics, brothers and sisters of fraternal Orthodox Ukraine!

With all my heart and with all my heart, I congratulate you on the greatest feast of Christ’s Resurrection! I wish your country, your Holy Church spiritual prosperity! May the Lord bless the beautiful Orthodox Ukraine, give you peace, spiritual prosperity, prosperity, salvation to Christians.

The Bulgarian Church and the Ukrainian Church are one Body of Christ. We live by the Spirit of Christ. Moreover, brothers, if one rejoices, the other rejoices in him. If one is suffering, the other is compassionate. So is our love – we rejoice at your successes, we are glad that in all your difficulties you have a spiritual life, you have a faith with which to take an example.

History has shown that the Lord sends great leaders, great teachers during trials to those especially nations that he loves. And now the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has a great shepherd – Lord Onuphrius, who is a man of holy life, prayer, and ascetic. And we see that with his love, with his peace, he unites the children of the Orthodox Church, protects them from wolves and with his prayers protects them from danger and temptation.

Dear brothers, dear Orthodox Christians, dear bishops, Your Eminences! We wish you with all our hearts, may the Lord grant you all His blessings! May the Risen Lord reward you for all difficulties with His Great Divine Joy, grant salvation to all of you and your spiritual children. For us, you are an example of true faith in Christ. We ask your holy prayers!

Christ is Risen! Truly Risen!”