Patriarchate of Alexandria officially recognizes OCU

Pope and Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa. Photo: pravlife.org

On November 8, 2019, the Patriarchate of Alexandria recognized the OCU, the spokesperson for the new church structure Eustratiy Zoria announced on his Facebook page.

Zoria published a photocopy of the official communique of the Main Secretariat of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa, in which the Patriarchate of Alexandria notified of "the recognition of the Patriarchal and Synodal Tomos of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Church and inclusion of the name of the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphany of Kiev and All Ukraine, in the Diptych for commemoration” .

After the service, at which the name of Epiphany was read out among the Primates of the Local Churches, Patriarch Theodore gave a commentary in which he called it “an important event in the Church”: “From today, our patriarchate added to the diptych ‘the autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine’ and His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphany. From now on, His Beatitude Epiphany will be commemorated in the churches of the Patriarchate of Alexandria.”

The UOJ publishes the full translation of the official communiqué:

In recent months, we have seen the disposition/desire of the fraternal Holy Hierarchs to recognize the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Church, granted by the Synodal tomos of the All-Holy Ecumenical Patriarch.

As all know, our Holy, Catholic Orthodox Church functions through a conciliar system of governance, as received by tradition from the holy Ecumenical Councils. In this regard, the presidents of the Local Church Synods are among their members.

In this regard, we, as a member of and executor of the disposition/desire of the fraternal Holy Hierarchs, commemorated in the diptychs of the Catholic Orthodox Church the primate of the autocephalous Church of Kiev and All Ukraine His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphany, fervently praying for peace and the prosperity of our Orthodox Churches.

Alexandria, November 8, 2019.

From the General Secretariat of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria commemorated the head of the OCU Epiphany Dumenko at the Liturgy.

Read also

Most Britons oppose abortions, poll finds

The survey found that 62% of UK residents support legal protection for unborn children from the moment their heartbeat is first detected.

Annual academic conference opens at Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary

The fifteenth annual conference was dedicated to the anniversaries of Prince Vasyl-Kostiantyn Ostrožský and Metropolitan Rafail (Zaborovský).

Feminists attack Roman Catholic churches in Latin America

During protest actions, members of radical groups attacked cathedrals in several Latin American countries, assaulted police officers, and threw paint at believers.

UOC hierarch takes part in German bishops’ conference

Bishop Veniamin of Boyarka took part in the OBKD assembly in Düsseldorf.

Ivano-Frankivsk scraps school project planned on demolished UOC church site

The authorities in Ivano-Frankivsk have dropped plans to build the school for whose construction a UOC church was demolished.

Shostatsky to UOC: If you are so righteous – do not cling to your churches

The OCU metropolitan called on UOC faithful and clergy to pray rather than defend their churches from seizures.