On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the autonomy of the Finnish Orthodox Church as part of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will be visiting Finland from September 8 to 12, 2023.

The Embassy of Ukraine in Finland, as well as Orthodox Ukrainian families, were also invited to the solemn events.

In his speeches and sermons, the Patriarch repeatedly mentioned Ukraine. In particular, addressing the faithful during the prayer service on Saturday, the Patriarch noted that the Finnish Orthodox Church was the first church to protest against the russian federation's unprovoked and unjustified aggression against sovereign Ukraine just a few days after the start of the war. The Patriarch called this attack immoral and criminal, moreover, diabolical. He expressed regret that this act was supported and approved by the moscow Patriarchate.

In his speech at the Liturgy, Archbishop Lev of Helsinki and All Finland noted that Russia's forced deportation of Ukrainian children has the characteristics of a war crime, and Russia's attempts to force children to forget their Ukrainian identity are of great concern.

Olga Dibrova addressed the audience and thanked the Finnish Orthodox Church Ortodoksit Suomessa for its important spiritual support, recalling that the first prayer of Orthodox Finns near the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Finland and Iceland was held already in the first days after the full-scale invasion of russia.

The Patriarch, the Archbishop and the Ambassador together planted a Crimean linden tree in the courtyard of the center as a memorial.