The head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate (UOC-KP) Patriarch Filaret commented on the fact that the head of the Russian Orthodox Church held a service in the St. Sophia Cathedral.
“…if to act according to the principles of equality, then we also should have the right to hold services in the St. Sophia Cathedral on special occasions for our church, an anniversary or church holiday. I hope that the government will not deny us of this right, as the Moscow Patriarchate was not denied,” declared Patriarch Filaret in an interview to Hal.info.
The head of the UOC-KP described how previously the Kyivan Patriarchate asked the government more than once to open a cathedral to hold services at least a few times a year. The UOC-KP, however, was told that this could provoke interdenominational disputes and thus they should “not insist on their request.”
“…we believe it is best to wait until there is one national church in Ukraine, and the hostility between denominations diminishes. Then, with the approval of the museum and academics, there can be services in St. Sophia’s,” added the patriarch.