Poroshenko: Phanar authorized states to create Local Churches

President Petro Poroshenko

First of all, this right was granted by the Patriarchate of Constantinople to Ukraine, the head of state wrote on Twitter.

"The Ecumenical Patriarchate adopted a decision on the right of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, without taking into account Moscow's opinion, to grant to all states the right to establish a Local Church. And, first of all, Ukraine was granted the right to create a Local Orthodox Ukrainian Church," wrote Petro Poroshenko.

The day before Hromadske published the information that at the Bishops' Council of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which is now taking place at the Phanar, they supposedly came to the conclusion that the Ecumenical Church could decide on granting autocephaly to whatever Church without the consent of the other 14 Local Churches. However, there is no official confirmation of this yet.

Nor there is information that the Synaxis of Constantinople took decisions to entitle state structures to create Local Churches.

As the UOJ informed earlier, political expert Kirill Molchanov explained that President Poroshenko wants to divide Christianity on a national basis and added that manipulations with the Local Church in Ukraine will occur constantly, since Petro Poroshenko approaches this concept from political rather than religious perspective.

Read also

MP: Rada to introduce Day of Old Rus fleet’s campaign against Constantinople

Maksym Buzhanskyi announced the preparation of a new list of state and "religious" holidays.

In Israel, synagogues and mosques closed due to military conflict

Israeli authorities have banned mass gatherings, including services during Ramadan and before Purim.

Romanian Patriarchate calls for peace in the Middle East and Ukraine

The Romanian Orthodox Church has stated the need for urgent solutions to restore peace and called for prayer for those in the world's military conflict zones.

Kyiv City Council deputy: We aim to ensure no UOC communities in Kyiv region

Tytykalo stated that the deputies set the task of "cleansing the Kyiv region of the UOC".

395 UOC churches damaged by shelling since start of war – report

An updated report on damaged religious sites over four years of war in Ukraine includes data on 395 affected UOC churches, as well as hundreds of destroyed or damaged facilities belonging to other denominations.

GOC opens fundraising drive for Sinai Monastery and Holy Sepulchre Church

The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece has called on Greece’s metropolises and parishes to collect donations to support the ancient shrines on Sinai and in Jerusalem.