“Stabbed in the back”: UOC-MP responded to the Greek Orthodox Church statement on the recognition of OCU

The Church External Relations Department of the UOC-MP expressed their regret about the fact that Archbishop Jerome had sent a letter to the head of the OCU stating that the Greek Orthodox Church had declared recognition of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

This information is provided by the UOC-MP Information and Educational Department.

The UOC-MP states that the decision of the Greek Church allegedly contradicts the canons and called it "the knife in the back of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which has suffered from the church schism over the years and continues to suffer, while upholding the canonical order."

Also, the Church External Relations Department of the UOC-MP announces that the Synod of the UOC-MP will decide whether they will remain in Eucharistic unity with the GOC.

On October 12, the Council of Hierarchs of the Greek Orthodox Church recognized the OCU.

Both UOC-MP and ROC called this decision a mere "intention" of recognition.

The ROC threatened to disregard Archbishop Jerome if he mentions the Primate of the OCU Epifaniy during the Liturgies. They also claimed to break contact with those GOC bishops who have recognized the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

In the meantime, on Saturday, October 19, Metropolitan Epifaniy’s name was first mentioned during the Grand Entrance at the Liturgy in Thessaloniki, with the participation of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop of Athens and of all Greece Jerome.

While including Epifaniy’s name into the diptych, the Greek Church formally entered into canonical communication with the OCU.