On September 8, 2011, with the blessing of Metropolitan Volodymyr, the Head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Archbishop Alexander (Drabynko) received a group of pilgrims from Canada, headed by the Secretary of the Archdiocese of Canada (OCA), Protodeacon Nazar Polataiko. His Eminence welcomed the guests on behalf of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and wished them many blessings during their pilgrimage in Ukraine. The pilgrims shared their impressions of the visit to Kyiv, and talked about their proposed itinerary. At the end of the visit, Archbishop Alexander gave out souvenirs to the pilgrims. This pilgrimage was organized by St. John of Sochava's Liturgical Supply of Ottawa and the Department for External Church Relations of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Pilgrimage Centre.