The following two brief reports will interest our readers on all sides of the question of Ukrainian autocephaly.

Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople

Russia Paying Big Money for Articles, Black Propaganda in Light of Ukraine Developments
by Andreas Loudaros

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew yesterday sent a clear message to Russia vis-à-vis the Ukraine issue, stating that Constantinople has no intention whatsoever of giving in to pressure.

While addressing an audience at an event in Istanbul celebrating the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Feriköy Greek community, His All-Holiness made it clear that the prerogatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate are rooted in the decisions of the Ecumenical Councils and legally binding for all within Orthodoxy.

“Whether our Russian brothers like it or not, soon enough they will get behind the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s solution, as they will have no other choice,” said Patriarch Bartholomew, adding that he is well aware of the Russian side’s efforts in funding the writing of articles and creating ‘black’ propaganda in order to strike back at the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

This is possibly the first time the Ecumenical Patriarch is responding to Moscow’s challenge in light of developments concerning the Ukraine issue. Indeed, yesterday His All-Holiness also expressed the opinion that, “Our Slav brothers cannot accept the primacy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and our nation within Orthodoxy.”

The above report appeared earlier today on Orthodoxia Info.

Patriarch Bartholomew to Visit Kyiv to Hand Over Tomos

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will come to Kyiv to personally hand over the Tomos of autocephaly to the leader of the united Ukrainian Church.

President’s parliamentary representative Iryna Lutsenko said this in live broadcast of the Pryamyy, reports LB.ua.

“The main thing is to hold the unifying council, which will be able to choose the primate, whom the Ecumenical Patriarch will personally hand over the Tomos – he is going to come to Ukraine,” she said, commenting on the transfer of the St Andrew’s Church into the use of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

“This act of spiritual independence is worth the transfer of one of the churches of state ownership. Not to gift it, but to simply grant the right to use it,” Lutsenko said.

Last time Patriarch Bartholomew was in Ukraine was in 2008.

The above report appeared on October 19, 2018 on Religious Information Service of Ukraine.

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