Bartholomew asked Primates of UAOC and UOC-KP not to run for Primate of new Church

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew urged Patriarch Filaret of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyiv Patriarchate and the Metropolitan Makariy of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church not to run for the office of the Primate of the unified Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

The Head of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Makariy mentioned this in an interview with Radio Liberty on December 14.

“I do not care who will be elected ... We signed an appeal to the Ecumenical Patriarch to get the Tomos, I immediately announced that I will not run as a candidate. God sent me such a good idea because in October I received the letter signed by the Ecumenical Patriarch and, probably, Patriarch Filaret also received it, asking both of us not to run as candidates,” said Metropolitan Makariy.

The UAOC leader described what the Head of the new Church should be like. “I would like to hear from the candidates about life, moral life of the clergy outside the church fencing... high-standard moral life in the monastic sphere. It will raise the authority of the Church, and while I am not against Protestant currents, I hope more people will be able to concentrate and not be disillusioned with Orthodoxy, Christianity ... “