Yesterday, welcoming a group of pilgrims from Veria, Greece, led by Metropolitan Panteleimon, Patriarch Bartholomew said “we will resolve the Ukrainian issue according to a regular procedure and in favor of the Ukrainian people.” This is reported by the Greek media outlet Orthodoxia info.
Yesterday, welcoming a group of pilgrims from Veria, Greece, led by Metropolitan Panteleimon, Patriarch Bartholomew said “we will resolve the Ukrainian issue according to a regular procedure and in favor of the Ukrainian people.” This is reported by the Greek media outlet Orthodoxia info.
The patriarch also noted that the Ukrainians’ request for church independence is not new, it emerged after the rise of an independent Ukrainian state in the early 90's.
“Ukrainians have the right to obtain autocephaly -- as well as all the Balkan peoples who for some time were in the direct jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople ... Why all other peoples have the right to autocephaly, and 45-50 million Ukrainian people would not have this right. This is unfair,” said the Ecumenical Patriarch.