Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew: final goal is to grant autocephaly to Ukrainian Church

Today, President Petro Poroshenko met with the delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate which arrived in Ukraine to participate in the 1,030th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus-Ukraine festivities. This is reported by the official website of the President of Ukraine.

The Head of State expressed his gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew “for the constant care of the Mother Church for the faithful of the Ukrainian nation that is experiencing difficult times of aggression waged against our State by the Russian Federation in connection with the illegal annexation of Crimea.”

Petro Poroshenko also expressed gratitude for Patriarch Bartholomew's position regarding the Ukrainian Church. “For most Ukrainians, the words of His All-Holiness that Ukraine is not a canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church are highly important; that the transfer of control to Moscow in the 17th century took place in a non-canonical way. And just like we do, His All-Holiness believes the Patriarchate of Constantinople to be our Mother Church,” he said.

Ukraine's Head of State also thanked representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for having participated in the celebration of such an important event for Ukrainians. “Thank you very much for this prayer. Thank you very much for supporting us. Thank you very much that tomorrow we will jointly celebrate this important anniversary,” the Head of State said.

“We are confident that these prayers and these words now help us unite people. They help us to ensure that every Ukrainian finds his way to God,” Petro Poroshenko added.

The Head of State thanked for such an important signal, the blessing of Ukraine and support. The President noted that Ukraine is waiting for the decision on issuance of the Tomos. “This is a historical moment not only for Ukraine and the Ukrainian Church to return to the fold of the Mother Church,” said Petro Poroshenko.

Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, the representative of His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, emphasized that, on behalf of His Holiness, the delegation of the Patriarchate is visiting Ukraine. “It is with great pleasure that I am conveying you a message from His Holiness,” he said.

Bishop Hilarion of Edmonton of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada read out the message of Patriarch Bartholomew who noted the importance of the baptism of St. Volodymyr from the First-Throne Church of Constantinople in the Metropolis of Chersonese and the baptism of Rus-Ukraine. “The newly baptized people were subject to the spiritual guidance, the limitless care and protection of the Church of Constantinople through the establishment of the Metropolis of Kyiv and All Rus which became the 60th Metropolis of the Ecumenical Patriarchate,” the message reads.

The message of the Ecumenical Patriarch emphasizes, “Recognizing the high responsibility of the first-throne Church of Constantinople, which never ceased and never reconciled to illegal and non-canonical situations that disturbed the natural functioning of the Orthodox Church, and during these crucial times, it overtook the initiative to restore the unity of the Orthodox believers of Ukraine with the ultimate goal of granting autocephaly to the Ukrainian Church.”