MP DECR: Phanar head wasn't invited to Baptism of Rus Feast because of UOC
Head of the MP DECR, Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev). Photo: RIA Novosti
The Ukrainian authorities did not invite Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople to the church holiday in honor of the Baptism of Rus on July 28, as he would have thus seen the traditional religious procession in Kyiv of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which clearly demonstrates which denomination is the most numerous in the country. This was stated in an interview with RIA Novosti by the head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate (MP DECR), Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk.
“On the Day of the Baptism of Rus, the canonical Church traditionally holds a grand cross procession in Kyiv, which unites hundreds of thousands of believers and clearly demonstrates what no fictitious opinion poll can refute: the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church is still the largest confession in Ukraine,” the Metropolitan said. He believes that it is for this reason that the head of Phanar was invited to a public holiday instead – the Independence Day of Ukraine, at which he can see “a more attractive picture”.
As the UOJ reported, the head of Phanar confirmed his arrival in Ukraine to “Servants of the People”.
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