His
Eminence Metropolitan Antony and Archbishop Daniel, joined by the
clergy, faithful and the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate that
represent UOC of the USA will join Archbishop Elpidophoros of America,
Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, who together with Archon National
Commander Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, will present the Athenagoras Human
Rights Award to His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphaniy of Kyiv and All
Ukraine at the New York Hilton Midtown on October 19, 2019. Metropolitan
Epiphaniy has been a strong advocate for religious freedom and a key
defender of the ecclesiastical and canonical prerogatives of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate.
His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros hailed the choice: “His
Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphaniy has been a staunch defender of the
religious freedom of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, even as its
prerogatives have been challenged and even rejected outright by some,
and as it has been placed under tremendous pressure from others. In
Ukraine he has already provided the Solomon-like wisdom that was needed
to reunify the Church, return to Eucharistic unity, and establish it as
an integral member of the group of autocephalous Orthodox Churches
worldwide.”
In recognizing Metropolitan Epiphaniy’s
long record of defense of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, National
Commander Limberakis noted: “Immediately after the successful
completion of the work of the Unifying Synod which was convened in Kyiv
in December 2018 and which chose Metropolitan Epiphaniy as the Primate
of the autocephalous and newly unified Orthodox Church in Ukraine, His
Beatitude contacted His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in
order to express his respect and to request the good wishes and
blessings of the Mother Church so that his primatial ministry would bear
good fruit. This epitomized His Beatitude’s understanding of the
canonical position of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the Church, and his
deep respect and love for His All-Holiness.”
Metropolitan Epiphaniy was elected by bishops from Ukraine’s three divided Orthodox Churches at a unity council on December 15, 2018. Then on January 6, 2019, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew signed the Tomos of Autocephaly for the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, formally establishing the world’s fifteenth autocephalous Orthodox Church.
The Athenagoras Human Rights Award was
established in 1986 by the National Council of the Order of St. Andrew
the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in America. The
Award was named after one of the great Church leaders of the 20th
Century, the late Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Athenagoras I.
The Award is presented every year at the Annual Banquet of the Order to
a person or organization that has consistently exemplified by action,
purpose and dedication, concern for the basic rights and religious
freedom of all people.
Previous recipients include His Eminence
Demetrios, former Archbishop of America; His Eminence Iakovos, former
Archbishop of the Archdiocese of North and South America; former
President Jimmy Carter; former President George H. W. Bush and First
Lady Barbara Bush; former Vice President Joseph Biden; New York Governor
Andrew Cuomo; Nobel Laureate and former Soviet leader Mikhail
Gorbachev; Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel; and Mother Theresa of Calcutta.
On Sunday, October 20th, His
Eminence Metropolitan Antony will join His Beatitude Metropolitan
Epiphany and Archbishop Elpidophoros for the concelebration of the
Divine Liturgy, following which new Archons will be invested and
presented with their Offikia and Cross of Saint Andrew.
On
Monday, October 21, 2019 - His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphany will
formally visit the Metropolia Center of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of
the USA and concelebrate Moleben service with the Primate of the
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA at St. Andrew-the-First-Called
Ukrainian Orthodox Memorial Church in South Bound Brook, NJ.
Following the liturgical service, the
delegation from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine will visit St. Andrew
Memorial Cemetery, Holy Resurrection Mausoleum – places of repose of
many hierarchs, clergy and faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,
the Consistory Offices of the UOC of the USA, Ukrainian Cultural Center
and St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Theological Seminary and Library.
The Moleben service at St. Andrew-the-First-Called Apostle Ukrainian Orthodox Memorial Church will begin at 11AM.