Metropolitan Hilarion urges Lvov authorities to give a cathedral to canonical Orthodox Diocese

March 23, Interfax

Moscow, March 23, Interfax Head of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk urged Lvov authorities to help the Lvov Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church get a cathedral.

At the meeting with head of the Lvov regional administration Nikolay Kmit Metropolitan Hilarion expressed his indignation with the fact that the diocese did not have a cathedral, DECR official website has reported.

The Metropolitan called the situation "grievous" as believers of the canonical Church for many years could not obtain permission for building a cathedral and had to pray in a small St. George Church.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia during his last summer visit to Ukraine said that the fact that the Moscow Patriarchate did not have a cathedral of its own in Lvov "only enhances the sense of hostility."

"I believe all these questions should be regulated. This is a great responsibility of local authorities. So that all communities living there could feel themselves comfortable," the Primate said in his interview to the Vesti TV.