A special edition for Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will be released in Ukraine on the occasion of his visit to the country.

The book, entitled “Bartholomew I: 30 years of patriarchal service in the light of Ukraine,” is dedicated to a double anniversary; the 30th anniversary of Bartholomew’s patriarchal service and the 30th anniversary of the independence of the Ukrainian State.

These —seemingly independent— anniversaries recently acquired a significant connection with each other, when the Ecumenical Patriarch taking care of the unity of Orthodoxy in Ukraine, made a decisive contribution to the establishment of the Local Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

The authors of the book used Greek and English sources, almost unknown to Ukrainians, to tell readers the recent history of relations between Kyiv and Constantinople and to show the significance of the Ecumenical Patriarch’s actions for today’s Ukrainians.

In addition, this publication is expected to contribute to the already growing interest of Ukrainians in the development of Orthodoxy in Ukraine and the strengthening of relations with the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

The presentation of the book will take place tomorrow, August 18, at the Church of St. Andrew in Kyiv. The event is organized by the stavropegion of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Ukraine and the Memorial Fund for His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr.

The editorial board of the publication is headed by the Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarch in Ukraine, Bishop Mikhail of Komana and Metropolitan of Pereyaslav of the Church of Ukraine, Oleksandr (Drabynko).