This call was made on March 24 in the message of the Primate of the OCU. "Dozens of communities, several monasteries in different regions of Ukraine have already voluntarily and consciously fulfilled their canonical duty and followed the Tomos of Autocephaly. Make your choice in favor of the church and Ukraine," the First Hierarch urged the clergy and faithful of the UOC-MP.
Metropolitan Epifaniy's appeal was shared by the press service of the OCU.
"Our prayer is also for the unity of the Orthodox Church. Once again, I repeat the Holy Synod's appeal to the brothers and sisters who are still subordinate to the Moscow Patriarchate: unite around Kyiv, unite in the local Orthodox Church of Ukraine! Do not wait for Moscow to give you permission or instructions – the missiles and bombs that the Russian military is now dropping on you with the deceptive blessing of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church Kirill are already the answer of the "Russian World". This answer is your shelled, burned, destroyed temples. This response is Kirill's silence on the crimes of the Russian army in Mariupol, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, and dozens of other cities and villages in Ukraine.
Dozens of communities and a number of monasteries in different regions of Ukraine have already voluntarily and consciously fulfilled their canonical duty and followed the Tomos of Autocephaly. Make your choice in favor of the Church and Ukraine, in favor of the truth. The doors of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and our hearts are open to all of you!" the appeal says.