The head of the OCU Epifaniy appealed to Metropolitan Onufriy and the hierarchs of the UOC-MP to begin a dialogue without preconditions.
This was stated by Metropolitan Epifaniy.
“On the day of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, prayerfully relying on Her intercession, guidance and help in every good deed, I wish to renew my appeal on behalf of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine to You, Bishop, to the hierarchs, clergy and all the faithful who recognize You as their Primate: For the sake of the good and establishment of the Orthodox Christian faith in Ukraine, for the sake of the Church of Christ, for the sake of protecting the truth, to immediately begin a dialogue,” the Primate of the OCU writes.
“We know that earlier you announced three requirements for such a dialogue, namely, that we reject the decisions of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and that we do not hear requests from those who make these decisions and wish to be united as the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. However, for objective and independent reasons, we cannot agree to such demands, for they are contrary to the truth and would mean a renunciation of God, who gave our hierarchs and clergy the grace of the priesthood, and of the Church of Christ, which benefited Ukraine through the hands and work of the Ecumenical Patriarch,” he added.
Metropolitan Epifaniy suggests that the clergy of the UOC-MP agree to begin a dialogue without any preconditions.
“This is how the dialogue, which was blessed and supported by Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kyiv and All Ukraine, and which was destroyed by the Patriarchate of Moscow, began without preconditions. Let all those who truly cherish the memory of Metropolitan Volodymyr hold him as an example,” the hierarch noted.
“Therefore, never abandoning hope in God, in the intercession of the Virgin Mary and all the saints in overcoming church divisions, and despite all our previous appeals to you and those with you for dialogue being unanswered, I appeal to you yet again, Bishop, and to all who are with you now, asking you not to leave this appeal, this proffered hand, without a constructive response.”