"EVERYTHING WILL BE GOOD": EXARCHS OF ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE ARRIVE AT SYNOD
The exarchs of the ecumenical patriarchate, Archbishop of Pamphilon and Western Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the U.S.A. Daniel and Bishop of Edmonton and Western Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada Illarion, arrived at the Synod, which had already begun. This was reported by a Ukrinform correspondent.
"Everything will be good. With God's help. I think, yes," exarch Daniel responded laconically to a question about the prospects for today's session of the Synod, at which it is expected to hear reports of exarchs Daniel and Illarion on the results of their visit to Ukraine.
Exarch Daniel described for journalist his impressions from the trip to Ukraine. "I was pleased to meet with representatives of ecclesiastical and civil authorities of Ukraine. The impressions from the trip are good," he said.
To a clarifying question, whether the people are ready for church unification, the exarch noted that "Ukraine has been ready to consider the question of church unification for 27 years already, if not longer, a century."
Ignoring a provocative question from Russian television channels about a possible exacerbation of the situation in Ukraine after getting a tomos, he blessed all the journalists and wished all of them a good day.
We recall, questions of a tomos will be discussed after the report of the exarchs. (tr. by PDS, posted 10 October 2018)
ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE SYNOD TO DISCUSS TOMOS FOR UKRAINE AFTER REPORT OF EXARCHS
The question of the receipt of a tomos concerning autocephaly for Ukraine will be discussed after the report of the exarchs of the ecumenical patriarch in Istanbul on 10 October.
This was stated by the press secretary of the UPTsKP [Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate], Evstraty, on his Facebook page.
"Only today (9 October) the exarchs of the ecumenical patriarch arrived from Kiev in Istanbul. Tomorrow (10 October) they will report and only after this is it possible there will be a discussion of the question of the tomos," he wrote.
It is expected that the Synod of the ecumenical patriarchate on 9-11 October will consider the report of the exarchs of Constantinople and make a decision about granting a tomos to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine. (tr. by PDS, posted 10 October 2018)
IN CONSTANTINOPLE, TOMOS FOR UKRAINE DISCUSSED AND DECISION WILL BE MADE WHEN THE "TIME COMES"
Interfax-Religiia, 10 October 2018
A member of the Holy Synod of the patriarchate of Constantinople, Metropolitan of Austria and Exarch of Hungary Arseny, declared that a decision regarding autocephaly for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church will be made when the time comes.
"We have talked about a tomos. The decision will be made when the time comes, but the ecumenical patriarchate has the right to make such a decision (about granting autocephaly—IF)," Metropolitan Arseny said in the corridors of the Istanbul Synod; he was quoted by the Ukrainian edition of Radio Liberty.
To a question about relations with the Russian
Orthodox
Church, which has spoken against autocephaly, the Constantinople
hierarch
declared: "We do not want to create new problems, but with God's
help we
will act so that everything will be peaceful, as he also wishes."
(tr. by
PDS, posted 10 October 2018)
WHEN UKRAINE WILL RECEIVE TOMOS SAID IN CORRIDORS OF SYNOD MEETING IN CONSTANTINOPLE
A decision of the ecumenical patriarchate regarding autocephaly for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church "will be made when the time comes." It was this that was stated in the corridors of the meeting of the Synod in Constantinople on 10 October by Metropolitan of Austria and Exarch of Hungary Arseny, Liga.Novosti reports, citing Radio Liberty.
He also disclosed that the question of granting a tomos to Ukraine has already been discussed in the session and he emphasized that the ecumenical patriarchate has the complete right to make a decision about it.
Responding to a journalist's question about relations with the RPTsMP, which opposes granting the UPTs independence from Moscow, Arseny said: "We do not want to create new problems, but with God's help we will act so that all will be peaceful, as he also wishes."
Another member of the Synod also is not talking about specific dates: Archbishop of Pamphilon Daniel, from the U.S.A., is one of the two exarchs of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Ukraine (along with Bishop of Edmonton Ilarion from Canada). He said: "When this may happen is difficult to say. That is all that I can say at this moment." (tr. by PDS, posted 10 October 2018)
DISCUSSION OF TOMOS ON UKRAINIAN AUTOCEPHALY BY SYNOD OF CONSTANTINOPLE PATRIARCHATE POSTPONED TO 11 OCTOBER
After hearing the reports by their exarchs in Kiev, the Synod of the patriarchate of Constantinople moved the continuation of the discussion of the tomos regarding autocephaly of the Ukrainian church to 11 October, a Credo.Press correspondent reports. At the present time, the session has ended and its participants have left the meeting room.
According to unofficial information, at its present session the Synod will limit itself to a statement in support of autocephaly of the Ukrainian church and a final decision will be made at the next session in November. However, the appearance of factors that might accelerate the process cannot be ruled out. (tr. by PDS, posted 10 October 2018)
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