Someone is looking for the absence of autocephaly in the Tomos and for the fact that the metropole is not independence. You will not find that - President
Someone is looking for the absence of autocephaly in the Tomos and for the fact that the metropole is not independence. You will not find that - President
During the working visit to Volyn region, President Petro Poroshenko took part in the thanksgiving service for the Tomos of autocephaly and the formation of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Lutsk.
Before the solemn liturgy, conducted by the honorary Patriarch of Kyiv and All Ukraine Filaret, the Tomos of autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine was solemnly brought to the cathedral.
The President congratulated all the faithful of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine on holidays and the granting of the Tomos of autocephaly. "The Ukrainian church has been under the Moscow yoke for 333 years. And by God's will and blessing, this Moscow yoke has been removed from the Ukrainian people, the Orthodox and the church. And this is evidenced by this historical document," the Head of State stressed, adding that today, believers have an opportunity to see the Tomos in Volyn. "There are 15 stars in the world now - 15 autocephalous churches. And among these stars, a very bright star is our church. Finally," Petro Poroshenko said.
The Head of State thanked His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, primates and rulers of Ukrainian churches, all the faithful who prayed and believed in Ukraine.
"Now someone is very dissatisfied with the fact that we have got the Tomos. Someone does not like our thankful prayers. Someone is looking for the absence of autocephaly in the Tomos. You will not find that! And do not listen to your instructions from Moscow, they will do you no good. And they are looking for the fact that the metropole is not independence. It is not true. My advice is to go to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, repent, confess your sins and take communion. You will definitely get better," the President said.
"If you feel wrong when you go to church, where the divine service begins with prayer for Kirill, do not go there. If this church prays for the Russian authorities and the army, which kills Ukrainians, then make a decision for yourself," the Head of State added. At the same time, he stressed that the church in Ukraine should be separated from the state, especially from a foreign one, "when the church receives instructions from abroad and creates a "fifth column".
The President stressed that the process of state-building is underway and the Church is the spiritual foundation for the independence of the Ukrainian state. According to him, in Volyn, eight parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate have announced their decision to move to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. "After the Tomos, the process of establishing the Church has just begun, and there is still a lot of work ahead, as His Holiness said, for us to have a single Orthodox Church in Ukraine,” Petro Poroshenko noted.
In turn, His Holiness Filaret thanked Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for the decision on the Tomos of autocephaly and for the efforts of the President of Ukraine on this path. "There were many moments when we seemed to be in a dead end, but due to the wisdom and perseverance of the President, we came out of the crisis," he said.
"We will definitely unite. There is no other way for Ukrainians. Today, the war takes place in the east, and therefore those our brothers who do not want to unite with us yet hope for the strength of Moscow, but Moscow will lose its strength and victory will be ours, Ukrainian, together with the whole civilized world ... and most importantly, God is with us,” His Holiness Filaret emphasized.
