The Council of Kharkiv-Poltava Eparchy of UAOC (renewed) to determine ways of reuniting the Orthodox and Greek Catholics

According to the decree issued by Archbishop Ihor (Isichenko), ruling bishop of Kharkiv-Poltava Eparchy of UAOC registered as KPE UAOC (renewed), on April 20, 2016, the XXVI Diocesan Council will be held in Kharkiv, Religion in Ukraine reports, referring to the Kharkiv-Poltava Eparchy website.

Delegates of the Diocesan Council are all priests of Kharkiv-Poltava Eparchy, 2 lay representatives from every church community, 3 representatives from regional fraternities elected at the general meetings, the leaders of diocesan agencies and commissions.

The event will be held at St. Demetrius temple of Kharkiv (Poltavskyy shliakh 44) on April 20, at 12.00-15.00.

The Council will end with the liturgical service.

On the eve of the Councill, April 18-20, 2016, a  pastoral meeting of the priests of Kharkiv-Poltava Eparchy will be held at St. Demetrius Catechetical-Pastoral Center.

In the recently publicized pastoral letter dedicated to the beginning of Lent 2016, Archbishop Ihor said: “The experience forgiveness is an invaluable gift of the Church to Ukrainian society. No court, no lustration will ever help it overcome the crisis unless the words of forgiveness come from the mouth of political opponents. Until it happens, we remain hostages to destructive hatred, unable to create a new reality due to immersion in old conflicts. Kharkiv-Poltava Eparchy made its modest contribution to the process of social cleansing at the last council, where, having left aside old prejudices it appealed to the Sister-Church, UGCC, asking for fraternal advice as to the ways of reunion. Now we are preparing the next Council to be held in Kharkiv at the end of Lent to gratefully listen to this advice and further determine our way keeping them in mind.”