On April 18, President Petro Poroshenko met with the Orthodox Churches and Ukraine formally adopted an appeal to be submitted to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to grant to the Ukrainian Church the Tomos of autocephaly signed by all the bishops who supported the decision. This is reported by the President’s website.
On April 18, President Petro Poroshenko met with the Orthodox Churches and Ukraine formally adopted an appeal to be submitted to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to grant to the Ukrainian Church the Tomos of autocephaly signed by all the bishops who supported the decision. This is reported by the President’s website.
Patriarch Filaret of Kyiv and All Rus-Ukraine officially handed over to the President the Address to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I to grant to Ukrainian Church the Tomos of autocephaly signed by all the hierarchs of the UOC-KP.
“I think that for many years, millions of Ukrainians have dreamed that the Lord grant us our One Local Orthodox Church. Some of us have lost hope, some have continued to believe. And God's help now gives me reason to assert that we are close to obtaining the Tomas of Autocephalous Local Church as never before,” the President said.
In turn, Patriarch Filaret supported the words of the President: “This is the spiritual foundation of any state. Without this spiritual foundation, a state cannot exist. Just as there can be no state without an army, it cannot exist without a church. This will be a big impetus to unite the entire Ukrainian society - the recognition of the Ukrainian Church.” He added that the church was striving for it throughout all these 26 years.
Patriarch Filaret said that the appeal was signed by all the hierarchs and expressed hope that the decision of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will lay a foundation for the recognized Local Ukrainian Orthodox Church, “Ukrainian state was tried by war and the war proved that exists and will exist. But once Ukraine exists and will exist in future, in order that this Ukraine become a state, it should have its church as a spiritual foundation. Therefore, we are struggling for the Ukrainian state to obtain this spiritual foundation. And we are grateful to you for being a President who has set the goal to achieve this. And you will reach it. And we pray for it. And we believe that this will happen.”
He also met with Metropolitan Makariy of Kyiv and All Ukraine, head of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church and officially adopted the Appeal to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I on granting to the Ukrainian Church the Tomos of autocephaly signed by all the hierarchs of the UAOC.
The Primate of the UAOC thanked the Head of State for the meeting. “If a person is hoping and working, merciful God helps us. I am very grateful to you,” said Metropolitan Makariy and thanked the President for the efforts to create the One Local Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The Head of State thanked for the collected signatures and the prepared Appeal to the Ecumenical Patriarch. “Thank you for these signatures, but would ask that we now lift our prayers to the Lord that He may help and protect Ukraine, and help us get this Tomos,” said Petro Poroshenko.
The Head of State also met with the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (MP), Metropolitan Onufriy of Kyiv and All Ukraine.
The President told the Metropolitan about his visit to Istanbul, where he met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and the members of the Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which was dedicated to the issuance of the Tomos on autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
“There was an hours-long talk about the fate of Ukraine, the fate of the Ukrainian Church. His Holiness expressed his concern for all citizens of Ukraine, support of our country in countering the aggression in a very difficult time when Ukraine is losing its best sons and daughters,” said the President.
The President of Ukraine and the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (MP) exchanged views on the intensification of the interfaith dialogue in Ukraine.