OCU head thanks Phanar for assistance in gaining "spiritual independence"
Head of the OCU Epiphany and the Phanar representative, Metropolitan Emmanuel (Adamakis). Photo: www.pomisna.info
On August 29, 2020, during a meeting with the hierarch of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, Metropolitan Emmanuel (Adamakis), the head of the OCU Epiphany Dumenko thanked the Phanar for its help and support in "establishing the spiritual independence of the Local Ukrainian Orthodox Church," reports the OCU press service.
The Phanar representative conveyed to Epiphany the congratulations of Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople on the 29th anniversary of Ukraine's independence and "expressed words of support for His Beatitude in the hard work on the development of the Local Orthodox Church of Ukraine".
After Epiphany told the hierarch of the Patriarchate of Constantinople about the latest events in the OCU, the parties discussed "a wide range of issues of church life, in particular, inter-Orthodox relations".
“At the end of the meeting, His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphany thanked Metropolitan Emmanuel of France for the assistance and maternal support of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in establishing the spiritual independence of the Local Ukrainian Orthodox Church and asked to convey his warmest greetings to His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew,” reports the OCU press service.
The day before, on August 28, Metropolitan Emmanuel of France concelebrated with representatives of the OCU at the Holy Dormition Church in Podil in Kyiv. As the “Orthodox Times” resource reports, the Phanar hierarch "emphasized the unwavering support of the Church of Constantinople – the Mother of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine and its Primate Epiphany, who has carried out brilliant and fruitful work in Ukraine."
As reported, earlier the Phanar representative said that the OCU is a gift from Constantinople to the people of Ukraine, so that “people can live faithful to their language, traditions and customs, live a miracle called the Orthodox Church”.
Read also
Director of Orthodox school writes open letter to "investigator"
Anna Bolhova emphasized that God turns slander and lies directed against Christians into their victory.
In Austria, court recognizes Sharia norms in dispute between Muslims
The Vienna court's decision on the forced enforcement of religious arbitration has provoked a reaction from authorities and demands to legislatively exclude the application of Islamic norms.
Constantinople responds to Russia's criticism of Patriarch Bartholomew
Russians called the Patriarch of Constantinople "the devil incarnate" and "the antichrist in cassock".
Church celebrates Circumcision of the Lord
The Orthodox Church commemorates the Gospel event when, according to the Old Testament law, the eight-day-old infant Jesus Christ received circumcision.
Report: Finnish Orthodox Church continues to lose parishioners
Official data for 2025 indicates a continuing decline in the number of parishioners, which has only been partially slowed through new registrations.
Islamists kill 13 Christians in Nigeria
Armed Fulani herders carried out a series of attacks on Christian villages: civilians were shot in their homes, dozens of people went missing.