On Friday, July 25, 2008, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kiev greeted Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. A Service of Thanksgiving was held upon the Ecumenical Patriarch’s arrival at the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.

After the service Metropolitan Volodymyr and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew offered an exchange of greetings and gifts.

Together with President Yushchenko, members of the government and delegates from foreign Orthodox Churches, who arrived to Ukraine to take part in the celebration also took part in the service.