President meets with the Exarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Ukraine

On September 17, President Petro Poroshenko had a meeting with the Exarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Ukraine Bishop Ilarion of Edmonton and the Western Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada and Archbishop Daniel of Pamphylia and the Western Eparchy of the UOC in the United States of America.

Poroshenko briefly recalled how the process of granting of the Tomos of autocephaly to the Ukrainian Local Orthodox Church started, and called it “State-building foundation.”

The President said that Ukrainians were looking forward to the results of the work of the representatives of the Constantinople Patriarchate.

He was pleased that in communicating with the guests he could speak Ukrainian, since all the participants of the meeting had a good command of it, and thanked Patriarch Bartholomew for his personal contribution to the support of the Ukrainian Church.

“I am very grateful to His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for the courage and wisdom shown with your appointment,” the Head of State said.

Bishop Hilarion of Edmonton handed over to the President of Ukraine an official appeal from the Ecumenical Patriarch, wherein His All-Holiness Bartholomew confirmed his desire to complete the process of issuance of the Tomos.

Archbishop Daniel told Petro Poroshenko that the process of granting of the Tomos of autocephaly is on schedule and is now at its final stages. He also said that the purpose of their visit to Ukraine is to bring the long-awaited unification of the Ukrainian Orthodox Churches, and not separation, as it is sometimes presented by the media.

“This time we arrived in Ukraine … to continue working on the fait accompli that the beginning of the process of granting autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has begun. We are on the straight line that goes to the finish line," Archbishop Daniel said.

The Archbishop said that they were ready to meet with the representatives of the UOC-Kyiv Patriarchate, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, UOC-Moscow Patriarchate and representatives of various denominations in order to hear their opinion on this issue.