"WE ARE ON THE RIGHT PATH"—POROSHENKO ON BREAK IN RELATIONS BETWEEN MOSCOW AND CONSTANTINOPLE
President Petro Poroshenko considers that Ukraine made the correct choice in asking the ecumenical patriarchate to grant autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UPTs).
"In submission to the Kremlin, the Russian ecclesiastical authorities who depend on it declared a break in eucharistic fellowship with the patriarchate of Constantinople. Such a reaction of the religious and civil authorities of the RF to the aspirations of Ukrainians and the decision of the ecumenical patriarchate signify that we are on the right path," the head of state noted on Twitter, TSN reports.
We recall that at a session of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church in Minsk on 15 October, a decision was made that the RPTs is completely severing relations with the patriarchate of Constantinople. Also the RPTs declared that it does not accept and will not observe the decision of Constantinople regarding Ukraine. (tr. by PDS, posted 16 October 2018)
POROSHENKO PROPOSES TRANSFER OF ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH TO ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH FOR CONTINUAL USE
The Ukrainian president proposes to transfer the church of St. Andrew to the ecumenical patriarch for continual use. This was declared by a representative of the president of Ukraine in the Verkhovna Rada, Irina Lutsenko, during a session of the Reconcialiation Council of deputies' fractions (groups), which was broadcast on ZIK television.
Irina Lutsenko emphasized that Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko thanks the ecumenical patriarch for his effective resistance to the Kremlin in the matter of the tomos.
The people's deputy informed members of parliament that Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko supports the attempt for getting a tomos quickly and, as a sign of solidarity with this process, he is making a symbolic gesture. In a few days a draft law will be registered by which the head of state proposes to transfer the church of St. Andrew to the ecumenical patriarch for continual use, "as a symbolic gesture that St. Andrew baptized Ukraine in his day."
"This will be a symbolic gesture of our unity
with the
Mother-Church. President Poroshenko is appealing to parliament, to
all
fractions, to support this draft law regarding transfer of the
church of St.
Andrew to the ecumenical patriarch for continual use," Irina
Lutsenko
noted. (tr. by PDS, posted 16 October 2018
EXARCHS OF ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH THANK POROSHENKO FOR EFFORTS TO UNIFY ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS IN UKRAINE
The exarchs of the ecumenical patriarch in Ukraine noted the important role of President Petro Poroshenko in the process of unifying Orthodox Christians and the creation of a united local Orthodox church.
Archbishop of Pamphilon Daniel of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the U.S.A., during a meeting with the president, thanked the head of state for his leadership and desire to see unity among the Ukrainian people, the website of the head of state reports.
"I hope that we soon will serve together and celebrate this great unification of our Ukrainian people," the archbishop noted.
The archbishop of Pamphilon of the UPTs in the U.S.A. also reported that he and Bishop Ilarion have returned to Ukraine "in order to continue work on the last step, which will lead us to a unification council and then also to the delivery to the new primate of a final document, a tomos about the independence and autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church."
"As previously, we will report that we are ready for communication and we hope for cooperation with all leaders of both the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate and the UAPTs, and including bishops and clergy and laity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church within the bosom of the Russian Orthodox Church," Archbishop Daniel emphasized especially.
Archbishop Daniel noted that the exarchs have returned from Constantinople "with the good news and historic event in the life of the Ukrainian people." "And I wish immediately to convey the words of greeting of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. We had a conversation with him immediately after the conclusion of the Holy Synod. And he asked us to convey to you his personal greetings and also gratitude for all the efforts that you have expended as president of Ukraine, being concerned for the whole process of unification of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians on the territory of Ukraine," the archbishop said.
"I think that I will not be wrong if I say that this was a historic decision by the Constantinople Mother-Church regarding Ukraine, because once again the intention of granting autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was confirmed," he also emphasized.
Archbishop Daniel recalled that the Synod also considered an appeal of the leaders of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodo Church, and "various ecclesiastical sanctions" against these religious leaders were rescinded. They were restored to their ecclesiastical rank and, with them, also the clergy who are concerned for the people of Ukraine in these churches. "Therefore, if there are any conversations about the inapplicability or uncanonicity of holy ecclesiastical sacraments, which these clergy have performed, the Holy Mother-Church has given an answer: these sacred mysteries and the actions of the clergy are canonical. We thank God and the church of Constantinople that it is concerned about our Ukrainian people," he noted.
Bishop of Edmonton Ilarion of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada, in his turn, emphasized: "October 11 of 2018 is a historic day as the day of the proclamation, using secular language, of the declaration of the religious sovereignty of the Ukrainian people. Similar to 16 July 1990: the declaration of the political sovereignty of Ukraine."
"Your name is written in golden letters along with the names of rulers of Kievan Rus, the Kievan state, your predecessors—the holy equal-to-apostles Prince Vladimir, and Yaroslav the Wise—in the history of Ukraine, who have done much for the spiritual flourishing of their people," Bishop Ilarion said.
He added: "As a good pastor, the ecumenical patriarch left 99 sheep and made the decision of 11 October for the unity of the one sheep—millions of Orthodox Christians-- who carried out his Golgotha self-sacrificial mission which he continues to do despite his own interests, acting as the Mother-Church for the sake of the future of his children, granting autocephaly from the Moscow church by recently granting autocephaly to Czechia and Slovakia. And now the time for the Orthodox church in Ukraine has come."
The president thanked the exarchs. "I am sure that this ministry to the Ukrainian people, the great unification effort, which the Mother-Church has expended, despite the efforts of those who hinder our unity—this is an enormous service by the ecumenical patriarch and an enormous service of the Mother-Church. An enormous thank you to the whole Synod," Petro Poroshenko said.
He also noted that comparing the declarations of state sovereignty and church sovereignty "is very precise so that the majority of Ukrainians will understand the importance of this event." "I am sure that this date will be inscribed in the history of Ukraine as most important. As one of the important stages of the constructing of our state," Petro Poroshenko noted.
The president said that today the meeting with the exarchs is being held as the first after the historic decision, which was made in the Synod, and the decision of the ecumenical patriarch for granting autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
"I am thankful because this decision was made because of the prayers of the Ukrainian people and the prayers of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. And this decision was long awaited in Ukraine. . . . But I am sure that today I, as president of Ukraine, in the name of the Ukrainian people, must express words of sincere thanks to the Mother Church, His All-Holiness, the Synod, all the faithful, and to you personally for that enormous work that was done so that this has become possible and so that the Lord has heard our prayers," Petro Poroshenko said. (tr. by PDS, posted 16 October 2018)
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