The Patriarch of Jerusalem Met with a Hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Pilgrims from Ukraine

On September 9, 2026, at the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Theophilos III, Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All Palestine, met with groups of Ukrainian pilgrims, one of which was led by Metropolitan Pimen of Rivne and Ostroh.

In his address to the pilgrims, Patriarch Theophilus emphasized the special significance of the Holy Land for Christians. The Patriarch noted that, despite the changing nature of the challenges facing the Church, it remains important for the faithful to remain faithful to God and to church life, following the example of the martyrs of the early centuries of Christianity.

Metropolitan Pimen expressed his gratitude to the Patriarch for his guidance and for their joint prayer. In his address, the hierarch emphasized: “ ‘Today, both Ukraine and Israel are undergoing severe trials related to the war. During this difficult period, we especially need mutual support and peace.’” As a memento of the meeting, Metropolitan Pimen presented the Patriarch with a Pochaiv icon of the Mother of God, and His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, in turn, presented the metropolitan with a commemorative cross.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Primate of Jerusalem bestowed his blessing upon the pilgrims, expressing the hope that their visit to the holy sites would strengthen their faith and bring them spiritual comfort.

It should be recalled that earlier, Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem announced his intention to act as a mediator to end the conflict in Ukraine. The Primate stated that he plans to hold talks with the presidents of Russia and Ukraine, Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to help overcome the ecclesiastical schism and stop the bloodshed.