On December 13, the First Hierarchical Liturgy will be held at St.
Andrew's Church, the Patriarchal Stauropegia. The Liturgy will begin at
9:30. The liturgy will be presided over by exarchs of the Ecumenical
Patriarchate.
As RISU reported earlier, in October President Poroshenko made a
submission to the Verkhovna Rada regarding the transfer of St. Andrew's
Church in Kyiv for use of the representatives of the Ecumenical
Patriarchate.
On October 18, the MPs supported (237 votes in favor) this bill (No.
9208), and on November 7 the president signed it into law. In late
November, the Cabinet of Ministers issued a statement of transfer of the
premises of St. Andrew's Church to the use of the Ecumenical
Patriarchate.
It should be noted that St. Andrew's Church is part of St Sophia of
Kyiv National Reserve. Before its transfer to the Ecumenical
Patriarchate, representatives of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox
Church served there.