Bartholomew: the Church of Constantinople is fighting for the final decision of Church Affairs in Ukraine

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Constantinople never gave permission to transfer the territory of Ukraine to anyone and is now fighting for the final decision of Church Affairs in Ukraine. This was stated by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew during a memorial service on the occasion of the 40th day of the repose of Metropolitan of Pollen of the Evangel. The text of his speech released by the press service of the Patriarchate.

“Constantinople never gave permission to transfer the territory of Ukraine to anyone, except the right of ordination of the Metropolitan of Kiev in Moscow on the terms of his election Cathedral in Kiev, the local Council and in strict reference to the Ecumenical Patriarch,” said Bartholomew.

He recalled that in the past the Church of Constantinople had faced difficult and complicated Church issues, “always guided by the interests of the people of God and the preservation of pan-Orthodox unity.”

“And we want as the Mother Church, the restoration of unity in Ukraine, a divided Church bodies – tens of millions of believers, baptized and educated direct care and missionary activity of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople… the great and Holy Church of Christ operates in the spirit of true love, is struggling today for a final decision of Church Affairs in Ukraine,” added the Ecumenical Patriarch.

Press Secretary of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate, Archbishop yevstratii (Zoria) on his page on Facebook expressed the opinion that so Bartholomew made an official statement after the visit of the delegation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate on the eve of the visit of the delegation of the Patriarchate of Constantinople to Moscow.

According to Dawn, so the Ecumenical Patriarch noted that Constantinople does not recognize the fact of the canonical transfer of the Kyiv Metropolitanate to the Moscow Patriarchate, moreover, considers the authority of the Moscow Patriarchate received non-canonical way.

In addition, Bartholomew reiterated its intention to solve the Ukrainian Church, said the Archbishop of the UOC-KP.

On 17 April the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said that “today Ukraine is closer than ever to having its own Autocephalous Church.”

April 19, the Verkhovna Rada supported the appeal of the President to Bartholomew for this reason. The document States that Tomos (decree) of the local Church “will not only be a triumph of Orthodoxy, but also a profound act of historical justice”. April 22, Poroshenko said that the Ecumenical Patriarchate proceeded to consideration of the request of Ukraine.

The granting of the Tomos of autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church may threaten the national security of Ukraine and divide the country, said the UOC-MP on may 25.

The delegation of the UOC-MP to meet with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew arrived in Istanbul on 23 June, it was headed by Metropolitan of Odessa and Izmail Agafangel, came with him managing the Affairs of the UOC Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary and Metropolitan of Donetsk and Mariupol Hilarion. According to Metropolitan Anthony, Bartholomew said he did not want to interfere in the Affairs of the Ukrainian Church, but to help to resolve this issue considers it his duty.

Attending the meeting, MP from the Opposition bloc Novinsky said that Patriarch Bartholomew on the negotiations with the delegation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate reported that stands for the unity of Orthodoxy.