Epiphany: Tomos to be officially signed in Phanar on January 5

Head of the OCU Epiphany

Patriarch Bartholomew will officially sign Tomos in Phanar on January 5, said "Metropolitan" Epiphany on the "Priamyi" channel.

“The procedure for providing the Tomos will begin on January 5. There, for the first time, we together as primates of the already independent Ukrainian Local Orthodox Church and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will thank God first and foremost in prayer in the St. George the Victorious Church in Phanar. Then there will be an official signing of the Tomos by the Ecumenical Patriarch in Phanar on January 5,” the head of the OCU said.

Epiphany noted that on January 6, after a joint liturgy, the Patriarch of Constantinople would grant him the Tomos on autocephaly.

“On January 6, a solemn divine service will be held — for the first time by two primates, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew as the First Patriarch Among the Equal and also the Primate of the Ukrainian Independent Local Orthodox Church. After the festal service, after the divine liturgy, the Tomos on the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church will be presented,” added the head of the OCU. 

Earlier, the “Metropolitan of Kiev” announced that the OCU would not make any important decisions until the Tomos was received. Following the results of an emergency meeting on December 17, the Holy Synod of the UOC decided to consider the new church organization established at the “Council” on December 15 as a union of schismatics.

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