US Embassy in Ukraine congratulates the OCU on the Tomos Anniversary

The Embassy of the United States of America in Ukraine has greeted the Orthodox Church of Ukraine on the first anniversary of receipt of the Tomos of autocephaly.

The US Embassy released a corresponding statement on Facebook, according to UKRINFORM.

“We congratulate the Orthodox Church of Ukraine on the first anniversary of receipt of the Tomos of autocephaly that was issued by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. We reiterate our strong support for the right of Ukrainians to freely practice their religion without external interference,” the statement reads.

A year ago, on January 5, 2019, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew signed the Tomos of autocephaly of the United Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

The procedure for granting autocephaly to the OCU was completed on January 6, 2019 — the presentation of the Tomos of autocephaly and the Divine Liturgy, which was jointly celebrated by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and all Ukraine, took place in the Patriarchal Church of St. George in Istanbul.