Delegation of the Patriarchate of Constantinople to visit Moscow to negotiate on Ukrainian issue

The delegation of the Patriarchate of Constantinople will arrive in Moscow on July 9 to discuss the prospects of granting autocephaly to the Ukrainian Church, Metropolitan Hilarion, as stated by head of the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Interfax-Religion reports.

"The delegation of the Patriarchate of Constantinople is making visits to the Local Orthodox Churches to clear out their attitudes towards the idea of ​​granting autocephaly to the Ukrainian Church. The delegation will come to Moscow on July 9. We will of course listen carefully to the arguments that will be presented,” said the Metropolitan in an interview with the Greek church news agency Romfea during his visit to Athens.

In his opinion, the most important thing is that a “comprehensive dialogue” begin on this issue between the Churches of Russia and Constantinople, as “the virtual exchange of ideas that has taken place in recent months, including through the mass media, is not a very good way to solve the problem of the Ukrainian split.”

Metropolitan Hilarion considers it very important that the Local Churches “show solidarity, which is the key to the unity of the Orthodox Church,” and stated that any support for the split could “undermine this unity, in addition, the support of a split in one place immediately prompts the schismatics in other places to walk tall again.”

The Metropolitan considers it important that, during a recent meeting with the four hierarchs of the UOC-MP, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, “has very clearly stated that there would be no legitimation of the split.”

“I am hopeful that problem of the Ukrainian split will be solved exclusively in a canonical manner,” said Metropolitan Hilarion.