KYIV – On March 2, 2010, the primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate left for Italy. Metropolitan Volodymyr was accompanied by deputy Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the UOC Bishop Alexander of Pereiaslav-Khmelnytskyi, reports the web site of UOC-MP.  

Serhiy Krolevets, director general of the Kyiv Caves Historical Reserve, was also part of the Ukrainian delegation.

After the guests arrived they went to the palace of Commune (town hall), where a meeting with the representatives of the city of Ankona and the region of Marche took place.   

Then Metropolitan Volodymyr visited the city cathedral, where, in particular, he prayed at the relics of the martyr St. Dacius (4^th century) and of St. Kyriak (4^th century).

In the second part of the day the Ukrainian delegation led by Metropolitan Volodymyr arrived to the town of Loreto, where, according to historical and archaeological data, the House of the Virgin Mary (its walls) is situated. The guests from Ukraine were met by the bishop of the town of Loreta Giovanni Tonucci.   

Thereafter Metropolitan Volodymyr and the accompanying persons arrived at the exhibition hall "Mole Vanvitellianna" in Ankona, where the exhibition Golden Age of the Ukrainian Icon of the XVI-XVIII Centuries was conducted.

Greeting the primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Bishop Eduardo Manichelli of Ancona thanked him for help in organizing the exhibition.  

In his turn, Metropolitan Volodymyr expressed hope that the Ukrainian icon will be interesting for those who live in Western Europe and believe in God. He also told those present of the meaning of the iconographic image in the spiritual life of every person.   

At the end, all those who took part in the organization and opening of the exhibition Golden Age of the Ukrainian Icon of the XVI-XVIII Centuries were conferred jubilee orders of the Pochayiv Icon of the Mother of God.   

As a souvenir of the visit Archbishop of Ancona donated a piece of the honourable relics of the holy martyr Dacius to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.  

The same day in the evening the Ukrainian delegation returned to Kyiv.