Patriarch Theophilos: I recognize only the Church of Met Onuphry in Ukraine
Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem. Photo: ukraina.ru
On September 4, 2019 in Jerusalem, the Primate of the Jerusalem Church, Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, during the meeting with the Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, Metropolitan Pavel (Ponomarev) of Minsk and Zaslavsk, announced that he recognizes only the UOC in Ukraine. This was reported on the website of the Moscow Patriarchate.
“I recognize only one Orthodox Church in Ukraine, which is headed by Metropolitan Onuphry,” the Primate of the Church of Jerusalem stressed.
He also noted that the holy fathers consider schism to be the most serious sin against divine love, which underlies church unity.
Patriarch Theophilos III drew the attention of the participants to the fact that in the modern world it is most important to maintain the unity of the Holy Orthodox Church.
The Primate of the Jerusalem Church also shared with the audience that he is devastated by what is happening in the religious life of Ukraine.
Earlier, the hierarch of the Greek Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Nektarios (Dovas) of Kerkyra also stated that he recognizes in Ukraine only one canonical Church – the UOC.
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