Council of Polish Orthodox Church announces its decision on the autocephaly of OCU

The Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church (PAOC) supports the independence of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which is based on dogmatic-canonical norms, and not the actions of “schismatics”. This is stated in the communique of the PAOC, released after the Council of archbishops of the Church on October 29 in Warsaw, UKRINFORM reports.

“The Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church is not against granting autocephaly to the Church in Ukraine, based on the dogmatic-canonical norms of the whole Church, and not on a group of seceding schismatics. Apostates from the doctrine of the Holy Church cannot represent a healthy Church organism, as this violates the Eucharistic unity of Orthodoxy," the PAOC said in a statement.

As it is emphasized, thus the Council of the PAOC did not change its position on the independence of the OCU, which is contained in the decisions of the councils of the Polish Church of May 9, 2018, June 25, 2018, April 2, 2019.

On January 5 this year, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew signed the Tomos, granting the independent status of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The Greek Orthodox Church was the first after Constantinople to recognize the autocephaly of the OCU.