Epiphanius, Zaluzhny discuss situation in JFO zone, law on chaplains

Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Valeriy Zaluzhny has met with Head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Epiphanius to discuss the situation in the area of the Joint Forces Operation.

Zaluzhny announced this on Facebook on Thursday, October 28, according to Ukrinform.

"Today I had the honor to meet with His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv and All Ukraine at his residence - the Metropolitan House. We discussed the situation in the area of the Joint Forces Operation and in the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea. I thanked him for the participation of military chaplains of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in the spiritual care of the Ukrainian army," he wrote.

In addition, according to Zaluzhny, they talked about the bill on the Military Chaplaincy Service, psychological support for war veterans, and other issues.

Later, relatives of the fallen Ukrainian soldiers and Archpriest Andriy Lyubun joined the meeting and spoke about an annual all-Ukrainian absolution for those killed in eastern Ukraine, which takes place in the village of Lishnia in the Ternopil region. In addition, the construction of a local memorial complex was discussed.

On May 21, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the bill on the Military Chaplaincy Service at first reading.

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