During the festive New Year's ceremony, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew spoke about the historicity of the establishment of the unified Orthodox Church of Ukraine and confirmed his intention to issue the Tomos to the Primate of the OCU Epifaniy on January 6.
During the festive New Year's ceremony, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew spoke about the historicity of the establishment of the unified Orthodox Church of Ukraine and confirmed his intention to issue the Tomos to the Primate of the OCU Epifaniy on January 6.
RIA Novosti has reported it citing the Patriarchate’s media.
According to him, granting the Tomos on January 6 will be a “great historical event” and the final stage of obtaining autocephaly by Ukraine.
“The Lord blessed the passing year, we praise him for all the good that he has given us, and especially for the great and historical event – the autocephaly of the Church of Ukraine – a case that will end and receive the blessing on the next Sunday in the presence of the new head of this sister Church and in the presence of Mr. Poroshenko, President of the country. There they will receive Tomos of autocephaly,” Patriarch Bartholomew said.
He has added that, despite the fierce opposition, the position of Constantinople will not change.
“However, this will not become an obstacle for us, because we make our decision based on the holy canons, on the privilege of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, in the order and traditions of Orthodoxy,” added Bartholomew.
The Ecumenical Patriarch also hopes that the sister Churches opposing the decisions of Constantinople will “think in a more logical and fair manner, with greater respect and gratitude to the Church of our Ecumenical Patriarchate.”