Exarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople to Ukraine мet with the Chairman of Ukrainian Parliament

Following the announcement of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, appointing Archbishop Daniel, the ruling hierarch of the Western Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA to the formal responsibility of an Exarch of the Ecumenical throne to Ukraine, the archbishop traveled to the capitol of Ukraine – Kyiv in order to begin the fulfillment of his temporary assignment along with His Grace Bishop Ilarion of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA reports.

The Chairman of Ukrainian Parliament, His Excellency Andriy Parubiy held a meeting with the Exarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Ukraine - Archbishop Daniel of the Western Eparchy of the UOC in the United States of America and Bishop Ilarion of Edmonton and the Western Eparchy of the UOC in Canada on October 5, 2018.

In the formal discussion, the hierarchs touched upon the historical significance of the Mother Church of Constantinople in the life of the Ukrainian nation and the Church of Kyiv-Rus Ukraine.

Archbishop Daniel informed the Speaker about the already taken steps towards reconciliation and unification of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and readiness of His All-Holiness to act upon the request of the people of Ukraine, the President of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Parliament, to grant Autocephalous Status to the Church of Ukraine.

Greeting the Exarchs of the Ecumemnical Throne, Mr. Parubiy emphasized that this visit "is the fatherly response of His All Holiness Patriarch to the two historic appeals expressed by the majority of the Ukrainian parliamentarians about granting Ukraine the Tomos of Autocephaly". According to him, "the Ukrainian people are mobilized more than ever before". "All the Orthodox christians of Ukraine are awaiting for the Ecumenical Patriarch’s decision.  And I believe that by the end of this year we will hear the good news out of Constantinople from the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I," said the Chairman of the Parliament.

Mr. Parubiy also noted that for Ukrainians "this period is simultaneously a very compressed period of big chances and big challenges". It was felt that "in front of these challenges the most important thing is unity of all Ukrainian people". "We are experiencing difficult and very magnificent times for Ukraine. We have to restore historical memory, our traditions, and the Ukrainian parliament does a lot for this, in particular, it has launched a de-communization  crusade and adopted an important decision on the Ukrainian language,"said Andriy Parubiy.

The Head of the Parliament officially invited the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I to visit Kyiv and speak at the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

In turn, the Exarchs clued up that it has remained to take the last steps in the issue of providing the Tomos, and expressed their support for further cooperation with the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

Bishop Ilarion of Edmonton and the Western Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada emphasized: "I think his Holiness will visit Ukraine and will be present at the Verkhovna Rada that has made this historic decision". He then conveyed personal congratulations from the Ecumenical Patriarch.