Makariy: Western diplomats wanted to make sure that we needed Tomos
Ex-head of UAOC Makary Maletich. Photo: “Obozrevatel”
On August 18, 2019, the ex-head of UAOC “Metropolitan” Makariy Maletich said in an interview with the “RISU” news agency about the results of his conversations with foreign diplomatic representatives on the religious situation in Ukraine.
“I was joyful and pleased that the diplomats of the great powers of the world were interested not only in the current political events in Ukraine, applied and keep applying sanctions against Russia but also were interested in the spiritual life of a pious believing Ukrainian people,” said the metropolitan of the OCU.
According to Makariy Maletich, foreign ministries took into account the religious factor in their work: “They were interested in hearing from me as the head of the former UAOC my opinion. Are we ready to receive the Tomos and recognition from Ecumenical Orthodoxy? Are we ready to unite? I answered them that we were ready for this. This is not only my opinion. We gathered and talked many times with bishops and clergymen.”
The ex-head of the UAOC is convinced that the creation of the Orthodox Church was "at the request of Ukrainian believers": "Why did the Ecumenical Patriarch go for this? This was the desire of Ukrainian believers. Why did I commemorate the Ecumenical Patriarch for 10 years?
I went ahead. The priests and people wanted this", and diplomats “just needed to understand this".
In his opinion, the foreign diplomatic representatives “wanted to make sure if we wanted and needed this or it was government officials doing some kind of project”.
“They saw our sincerity, sometimes even with tears in the eyes, and they realized that we needed it and we really wanted it,” Maletich concluded.
As reported earlier, the former head of UAOC “Metropolitan” Makariy Maletich previously stated that the granting of autocephaly of the UOC-KP and UAOC was made possible due to the efforts of foreign diplomats.
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