Dumenko: OCU will appeal to Phanar with a request for patriarchate

Epiphany Dumenko, Patriarch Bartholomew and Petro Poroshenko. Photo: vesti.ua

On December 15, 2020, Epiphany Dumenko, during a speech at the "Bishops' Council" of the OCU, said that his structure would apply to the Phanar with a request to grant it the status of "patriarchate".

Dumenko is sure that such a request can take place if the OCU receives recognition from the majority of Orthodox Churches.

“We are convinced that having passed the path of consolidating the unity of Orthodoxy in Ukraine and having achieved the recognition of the Tomos of autocephaly by the majority of Orthodox Churches, we will have every reason to raise before the Ecumenical Patriarchate the issue of granting the Orthodox Church of Ukraine the honourable dignity of the Pan-Orthodox proclaimed Patriarchate,” the head of the OCU said.

However, according to Dumenko, "just as they do not put the cart in front of the horse, it is impossible, without completing the first tasks, to request another one".

Epiphany promised that his structure would bring to life the idea of the Kyiv Patriarchate: "Therefore, the approaching time for the implementation of the idea of the universally approved Kyiv Patriarchate depends not on loud statements and slogans but on the painstaking daily work of all of us, on the preservation of our unity and peace."

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that Shevchuk spoke about the united Kyiv Patriarchate.

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