On July 28, 2021, on the day of the commemoration of the memory of the holy blessed prince Vladimir and the Baptism of Kievan Rus, Patriarch Porfiry of Serbia called the Primate of the UOC, His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, “a symbol of the unity of the Church.”

The address of the Patriarch of Serbia Porfiry was read by his vicar, Bishop Hierofei (Petrovich) of Toplich, at the end of the Divine Liturgy held in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra on the square in front of the Assumption Cathedral, writes UOJ.

The Primate of the Serbian Church, congratulating the faithful of the UOC on the Day of Remembrance of Prince Vladimir, noted that the personality of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphriy is a symbol of the unity of the Church.

“Your personality, our dear Ukrainian brother, firmly stewarding the ship of the Ukrainian Church, in this very difficult period has become a symbol of the fidelity and unity of the Orthodox Church in boldly resisting temptations.”

Patriarch Porfiry compared Metropolitan Onuphry to Prince Vladimir, stating that “remaining faithful to the canonical order and unity with the Orthodox Church, you have repeated the choice of Saint Prince Vladimir.”

“Thus, you and your bishops, priesthood, monasticism and people have become a model that is also known among our faithful Serbian people,” stressed the Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church.