Synod of Greek Church postpons discussion of the "Ukrainian question"

Members of the Holy Synod of the Greek Orthodox Church

On March 4-6, 2019, meetings of the Holy Synod of the Greek Orthodox Church were held. Regarding the recognition of the Autocephalous Church of Ukraine, the Holy Synod commissioned the Synodical Committee for Doctrinal and Nomocanonical Matters and the Synodical Committee for Inter-Orthodox and Inter-Christian Relations to draw up in common a proposal to the Holy Synod, reports the Greek news agency “Romfea”.

“We have also discussed the Ukrainian issue today, but we have not come to an end yet. On this issue, meetings of the competent committees are held,” said Archbishop Jerome II of Athens and All Hellas.

According to the Romfea journalists, the decision on the Ukrainian religious question may be affected by a current deep crisis in the relations between the Orthodox Church of Greece and the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

On February 18, 2019, the Holy Synod of the Cyprus Orthodox Church made a statement on the Ukrainian church issue. In the text of the official communiqué, the members of the Synod stressed that the goal to grant the Tomos to the OCU declared by the Patriarch of Constantinople – reconciliation and achieving unity of the Church in Ukraine – has not yet been achieved.

On February 21, 2019, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church adopted a statement on the religious situation in Ukraine. The Romanian Church did not rush to recognize the OCU and named a number of conditions after which, when met, it would be able to forge its official position on the issue of recognition of the new Ukrainian church structure.

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