President Poroshenko visited a church of UGCC in Vilnius and thanked for assistance

On December 8, 2017, a working visit of the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko to the Republic of Lithuania took place in order to participate in the Tenth Meeting of the Council of Presidents of Ukraine and Lithuania.

Within the framework of the visit, Petro Poroshenko visited UGCC Church of the Holy Trinity, where he attended the exhibition of photographs of the Revolution of Dignity. The church met with the Ukrainian diaspora and awarded the distinguished guests of Lithuania with honors of Lithuania.

In a speech, Petro Poroshenko emphasized the symbolism of this meeting in the church built 500 years ago by Prince Konstantin Ostrozkyy.

“This church is a symbolic place. Over 500 years ago, it was built by Prince Konstantin Ostrozkyy as a symbol of the unification of Lithuania and Ukraine, which is also symbolizes the fact that when Ukraine and Lithuania are united, nobody will win us. Here, in Vilnius, a prayer for Ukraine, a long-awaited and desirable peace is heard every day, a prayer for Ukrainian soldiers, protecting peace, freedom and democracy not only of Ukraine, but of the whole of Europe, is also raised. I thank the holy fathers, the Ukrainian community and the Lithuanian authorities for their help to Ukraine. The first arms, after the beginning of Russian aggression in 2104 came to Ukraine from Lithuania, as well as the first humanitarian aid. The first wounded Ukrainian soldiers and the largest number of them were accepted by Lithuania.

Today, Lithuania is the most reliable ally and diplomat of Ukraine in the European Union. Let me repeat those words that first sounded in this temple more than 500 years ago: when Lithuania and Ukraine together - we are invincible,” said Petro Poroshenko.

The head of state also noted that today, when the Ukrainian delegation went to this temple, the first thing that they saw was a photo from Maidan. “What could have been heard very often on the Maidan - together to victory. Today it is also relevant for Ukraine and Lithuania. Glory to Lithuania and glory to Ukraine,” he said.

The President visited the exposition of the photo-exhibition devoted to the Revolution of Dignity.

Petro Poroshenko awarded the Order of Liberty to the first head of the restored Verkhovna Rada (Seimas) of the Republic of Lithuania in 1990-1992, Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania in 1996-2000, Vytautas Landsbergis. Also, the Head of State conferred the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise to the II degree on Andrius Kubilius, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania in 1999-2000 and 2008-2012.

He called the symbolic that the high prizes of Ukraine are received by Lithuanians in the Ukrainian church - the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity in Vilnius.

In addition, the Church of the Holy Trinity in Vilnius, celebrated in June this year its 500th anniversary. In 1514, it was built by Prince Konstantin Ostrozkyy as his gratitude to Lord God for the victory under the city of Orsha. In the beginning of the seventeenth century, the Holy Martyr Jeosafat Kuntsevich performed his spiritual feat in this shrine.

The Basilians are the only Greek Catholic clerics in the Republic of Lithuania. They provide spiritual guidance not only to local Ukrainians and Lithuanians, but also to migrant workers, who often come to Vilnius for construction work, and of students who study there. Parishioners are also serving in Klaipeda, Elktrenai, Jonava and Kaunas. Without them, there are no patriotic events associated with Ukraine.

This year, the Basilians fathers celebrated the 25th anniversary of their return to Lithuania. On November 10, 2017, Lithuania celebrated the 400th anniversary of the founding of the Basilian Order of St. Josaphat, with the participation of Patriarch Sviatoslav, Primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

Photos from the President's website