Cypriot hierarch: Patriarch Bartholomew should convene Council on OCU issue

Metropolitan Nikiforos of Kykkos. Photo: prihozhanin.msdm.ru

On October 26, 2020, Metropolitan Nikiforos of Kykkos said in an interview with the ANT1 programme that Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople should convene the Pan-Orthodox Council or a Council of Primates on the OCU issue. 

Metropolitan Nikiforos reported that for the first time the issue of the OCU was considered by the Synod of the Church of Cyprus on February 19, 2019, and the final communique said that the granting of autocephaly to the Ukrainian Church was aimed at achieving peace for the Church existing there."

“We do not question this goal, but so far it has not been achieved. It is logical that if this goal is not achieved, we expect from the Ecumenical Patriarch that he, using his regulatory role, will convene either the Pan-Orthodox Council or the Council of Primates to resolve this issue," Metropolitan Nikiforos emphasized.

Moreover, according to the Cypriot hierarch, “even if unity is achieved around the new leadership (of the Ukrainian Church – Ed.), the Ecumenical Patriarchate should again find a way to reconcile believers in Ukraine, and in addition, solve the problem of the validity of ordination and the sacraments performed by this leadership, that is, Epiphany."

As reported earlier, Metropolitan Nikiforos of Kykkos considers Epiphany Dumenko a schismatic since he was ordained by Filaret Denisenko.

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