The Hierarch of the Greek Orthodox Church concelebrates with the OCU bishop
On October 20, Metropolitan Stephen of Tallinn and all Estonia of the Patriarchate of Constantinople led the Liturgy at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Volos, Greece, at which he was concelebrated by the hierarchs of the Greek Archdiocese and the OCU – Metropolitan Ignatius of Demetrius and Bishop Epiphanius of Olbia, according to the portal "Credo. Press".
As noted by the "Orthodox Times" media outlet, this Liturgy was the first precedent for the concelebration of the hierarchs of the Greek Archdiocese and the OCU after the recognition of autocephaly by the latter by the Bishops' Council in Athens on October 12.
The concelebration took place the day after Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew solemnly mentioned Metropolitan Epifaniy as Primate of the Autocephalous Church of Ukraine at a joint Liturgy with Archbishop Hieronymos of Athens and all Greece in Thessaloniki.
Prior to his transition to the OCU, Bishop Epiphanius of Olbia was a cleric of the Demetriadian Diocese of the Greek Archdiocese, where he received canonical leave for the episcopal consecration in the OCU. He is the Vicar Bishop to the Primate of the OCU, who is responsible for the pastoral care of the Greek-speaking communities (mainly in Eastern Ukraine) that are part of this Church.
