REPRESENTATIVE OF ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH DESCRIBES PROCEDURE FOR GRANTING AUTOCEPHALY TO UKRAINIAN CHURCH AT MEETING WITH PETRO POROSHENKO
The decision for granting a tomos concerning the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church should be made in accordance with all church procedures and rules, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko emphasized on 27 July, while receiving in Kiev a delegation of the ecumenical patriarchate led by Metropolitan of Gaul Immanuel.
The president requested that he relay thanks to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew "for the firmness that His Holiness is demonstrating now with regard to Ukraine on the part of the Mother-Church.
"I would like to emphasize separately," he said, "that we are not intervening from the side of secular authority in church affairs, as I am sure that the secular power and state does not have the right and should not interfere in church affairs. Especially if that state is foreign."
Metropolitan of Gaul Immanuel noted that the letter from the ecumenical patriarch, which was delivered on 27 July to the president of Ukraine, demonstrates the consistent support of Kiev on the part of the Mother-Church. "This is an historic moment for Ukraine, inasmuch as this has opened the process of granting autocephaly to the Ukrainian church," the metropolitan added. "Kiev always was under the protection of the ecumenical patriarchate. We have all the historical documents that prove this. The Mother-Church never stopped caring, as is stated in the letter of His Holiness, and the care of the Mother-Church is evident."
The representative of the ecumenical patriarch assured that during visits to other autocephalous Orthodox churches, the delegation of the ecumenical patriarchate officially informed them of the decision of the ecumenical patriarchate and issued the request that they agree to join this process. "This is the first part of implementation, which has already begun," he added. (tr. by PDS, posted 28 July 2018)
ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW: THE END GOAL IS TO GRANT AUTOCEPHALY TO UKRAINIAN CHURCH
Today President Petro Poroshenko met with a delegation of the ecumenical patriarchate, which arrived in Ukraine for participation in holiday events on the occasion of the celebration of the 1030th anniversary of the baptism of Ukraine-Rus. This was reported by the official internet representation of the Ukrainian president.
The head of state expressed thanks to His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew "for the continuous care of the Mother-Church for believers of the Ukrainian people, who are experiencing difficult times of the aggression against our state on the part of the Russian Federation in connection with the illegal annexation of Crimea."
Petro Poroshenko also expressed thanks for the position regarding the Ukrainian church. "For the majority of Ukrainians His Holiness' words about the fact that Ukraine is not the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church are very important. That the transfer of control to Moscow in the 17th century occurred in an uncanonical manner. And just like us, His Holiness considers that our Mother-Church is the Constantinople patriarchate," the president emphasized.
The head of state also thanked the representatives of the ecumenical patriarchate for their sharing in the celebration along with our people of a date that is so important for Ukrainians. "I thank you very much for this prayer. Thank you very much for supporting us. Thank you very much that tomorrow we will celebrate together this important anniversary," the head of state said.
"We are sure that these prayers and these words will now help us to unite people. They will help us so that each Ukrainian will find his way to God," Petro Poroshenko added.
The head of state expressed thanks for such an important signal: the blessing of Ukraine and support. The president noted that Ukraine hopse for a decision regarding the grant of a tomos. "This is an historic moment not only for Ukraine, and the Ukrainian church will return to the bosom of the Mother-Church," Petro Poroshenko emphasized.
The representative of His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Metropolitan of Gaul Immanuel, emphasized that the delegation of the patriarchate is in Ukraine today in the name of His Holiness. "With great pleasure I deliver to you a letter from His Holiness," he said.
Bishop of Edmonton of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada Ilarion read the letter of Patriarch Bartholomew, which noted the importance of the baptism of St. Vladimir from the Primary See Church of Constantinople in the metropolitanate of Chersonesos and the baptism of Ukraine-Rus. "The newly baptized people came under the spiritual leadership, the unrestrained care, and the ecclesiastical protection of the church of Constantinople through the creation of the metropolitanate of Kiev and all-Rus, which became the 60th metropolitanate of the ecumenical patriarchate," the letter says.
The letter of the ecumenical patriarch notes: "Recognizing the high responsibility of the Primary See Constantinople Church, which has never quit nor reconciled itself to illegal and uncanonical situations that shook the natural foundations of the Orthodox church and in these crucial times it has taken upon itself the initiative to restore the unity of Orthodox believers of Ukraine with the final goal of giving autocephaly to the Ukrainian Church. (tr. by PDS, posted 28 July 2018)
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