Andrei Parubiy invites Patriarch Bartholomew to Ukraine

Verkhovna Rada Speaker Andrey Parubiy and Patriarch Bartholomew

At a meeting with the exarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Archbishop Daniel of Pamphilon from the USA and Bishop Hilarion of Edmonton from Canada, which took place on October 5 in Kiev, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Andrei Parubiy asked them to give an invitation to Patriarch Bartholomew to come to Ukraine, reports Interfax-Ukraine.

The visit of the Ecumenical Patriarch "would be a big sign, a big symbol for Ukraine and the Verkhovna Rada," Parubiy said, adding that he hopes for autocephaly to be granted to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

The exarchs noted in their turn that the final steps remain to be made on the issue of granting the Tomos and spoke in support of further cooperation with the Ukrainian Parliament.

"I think His Beatitude [...] will visit Ukraine and will also be present in the Verkhovna Rada, which made this historic decision [the request to the Patriarch to grant the Ukrainian Orthodox Church autocephaly]," Bishop Hilarion of Edmonton said.

In early September, the Ecumenical Patriarchate appointed two exarchs to Kiev to prepare for the granting of autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The UOC called the decision a violation of the canonical territory. On October 1, the UOC believers came under the windows of the residence of Phanar exarchs to express their position – they are in favour of preserving the canonical Church and against interference in its internal affairs.

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