Bishop Victor meets with Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem

UOC representatives met with Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem

On March 4, 2019, with the blessing of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Onufriy of Kiev and All Ukraine, Bishop Victor of Baryshevka, Vicar of the Kiev Metropolis, met with the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III. Archbishop Theophylactus of Jordan and Protopriest Nikolai Danilevich, Vice-Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the UOC, also took part in the meeting, according to the Information and Education Department of the UOC.

Bishop Victor told the Primate of the Jerusalem Church about the current ecclesiastic situation in Ukraine and about the challenges the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is confronted with today.

Patriarch Theophilos noted that the Ukrainian church crisis is a challenge for the whole of Orthodoxy. The Primate expressed his firm hope that Universal Orthodoxy would find the strength and ability to overcome these temptations and preserve the unity of the Church.

Patriarch Theophilos assured that he is praying for Ukraine and the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, led by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy of Kiev and All Ukraine. At the end of the meeting, the parties exchanged gifts.

Representatives of the UOC are staying in Israel as part of the delegation of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations, which these days is making its working visit to this country.

Recall, on January 21, 2019, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko during his visit to Israel was not able to meet with the Jerusalem Patriarch Theophilos III. Later, the press service of the President said that Poroshenko invited Patriarch Theophilos III to visit Ukraine to "establish a dialogue with the Local Church".

On January 22, Patriarch Theophilos received pilgrims of the UOC in his residence and handed over his primatial blessing to the faithful children of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

On January 30, the Primate of the Jerusalem Church met with Metropolitan Anthony of Borispol and Brovary, the UOC Chancellor.

As the UOJ reported, according to media information, pressure is being imposed on the Jerusalem Patriarchate so that it recognized the OCU.

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