Poroshenko urges Rada to support the creation of a single local church

The President believes that Ukraine as never before is close to the creation of a local church

The President said that following the decision of the Verkhovna Rada, he would send a corresponding appeal to Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople. Petro Poroshenko stated this on April 17 during a meeting with leaders of parliamentary factions, reports RBC-Ukraine.

"Ukraine as an independent state does not just have the right, but it is simply obliged to create this church. As president, I decided to ask the Ecumenical Patriarch to issue a Tomos to the Ukrainian local autocephalous church and would ask you, dear colleagues, that the Parliament will also support this appeal and do so as soon as possible," Poroshenko said.

He expressed the hope that this decision could be made before the 1030th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus’ to be celebrated on July 28, 2018.

The President also stated that he had the consent to the creation of a local church of the eparchial bishops of the UOC KP and the UAOC, and demonstrated a document with the corresponding signatures.

Earlier, in September 2017, the Verkhovna Rada approved a historic appeal to the Ecumenical Patriarch asking for the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine.

Read also

US government employees allowed to openly express their religious beliefs

The memo "Protecting Religious Expression in the Federal Workplace," followed President Trump's executive order to eradicate anti-Christian prejudices.