Patriarch Bartholomew signs Tomos of autocephaly of Orthodox Church of Ukraine

Today, on January 5, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew signed the Tomos on the autocephaly of the unified Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The ceremony of signing took place in the Patriarchal Church of St. George. This historic event was preceded by the Divine Liturgy celebrated by the clergy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate together with the clergy of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

The prayer service was also attended by President Petro Poroshenko, Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Andriy Parubiy and a host of Ukrainian government representatives.

The service lasted 20 minutes. Thereafter, Patriarch Bartholomew, Metropolitan Epifaniy and the President of Ukraine left the church. Subsequently, they returned. Patriarch Bartholomew and Metropolitan Epifaniy raised up a prayer, following which the Head of the Ecumenical Patriarchate put his signature onto the document on independence of the Ukrainian Church.

The signature of the Tomos took place in the middle of the Church of St. George at 12:40 Kyiv time. The document has come into force from the moment of its signing.

Tomorrow, on January 6, at 8:30 pm the Tomos will be handed over and the Divine Liturgy will begin. It will be jointly celebrated by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Metropolitan Epifaniy. The worship service will take place at the Patriarchal Church of St. George.

The Ukrainian Church will become the 15th Local Orthodox Church.

Photos are from Facebook.