President’s Advisor meets with UOC KP head behind closed doors
Advisor to the President of Ukraine Rostislav Pavlenko and head of the UOC KP Filaret Denisenko
On December 8, 2018, the Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine Rostislav Pavlenko met with the head of the UOC KP Filaret Denisenko behind closed doors, reports “Vesti”.
The President’s advisor planned to meet with Filaret in private, but he insisted on the presence of the UOC KP spokesman Eustraty Zoria and “Metropolitans” Epifany Dumenko and Dimitry Rudiuk.
The witnesses report that the parties of the confidential conversation were very unhappy with each other.
When Pavlenko left Filaret’s residence, the leader of the UOC KP strongly criticized to his "bishops" the activities of Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople. He condemned the Phanar’s ambitions and declared that Constantinople would have to yield and give the Ukrainian Church complete freedom and independence.
The meeting participants said that the “metropolitan” Epifany listened to Denisenko with an ironic smile, although the “patriarch” himself was extremely serious.
Earlier, Rostislav Pavlenko stated that the statute of the Single Local Church would be adopted not by Constantinople.
On December 10, 2018, “Patriarch” Filaret openly declared his disagreement with Constantinople regarding the procedure for holding the “Unification Council”.
Read also
Upper Lavra court hearing postponed
The next court hearing in the Upper Lavra case has been scheduled for November 3.
UOC priest blesses ambulances at Kamianske medical center
A UOC priest in Kamianske blessed ambulances for a medical facility and wished its doctors God's help in their work.
Dumenko to German ambassador: Law targeting UOC also applies to other groups
Epifaniy Dumenko sought to defend Ukraine’s law restricting religious organizations during a meeting with the German ambassador.
Activists bused to court hearings in UOC cases, media say
A minibus has been spotted transporting protesters to and from courthouses where UOC cases are being heard.
Firefighters save historic UOC church from fire in Zakarpattia
A fire broke out at a UOC church in the Tiachiv district, damaging the altar and church furnishings.
Volyn Eparchy faithful collect six tons of aid for Sviatohirsk Lavra
Believers in Volyn collected food and warm clothing for people displaced by the war who have found shelter at Sviatohirsk Lavra.