Expert: Pope's visit to Ukraine may affect rapprochement of OCU and UGCC
The leaders of the OCU and the UCCC at the "Candle of Memory" memorial sign. Photo: news.ugcc.ua
The head of the Roman Catholic Church (RCC), Pope Francis, in the event of his arrival in Ukraine to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Independence, will act in the direction of the development of the ecumenical process with Patriarch Bartholomew, who is inclined towards this, which will entail a rapprochement between the OCU headed by Sergei (Epiphany) Dumenko and the UGCC, said the Ukrainian political expert, head of the "Third Sector" centre Andrey Zolotarev, in a comment for the UOJ.
He believes that the head of the Vatican will distance himself from internal Ukrainian religious conflicts and allows for a joint "action" of Pope Francis and the Patriarchate of Constantinople to be held in Ukraine. “The Pope will try to distance himself from internal Ukrainian issues. I think that the main theme that may be between them is in the perspective of Bartholomew's line of rapprochement with Rome. Perhaps, there will be some kind of joint action,” the political scientist said.
As reported, the arrival of the Pope in Ukraine will try to use the UGCC for its expansion, political analyst Mikhail Pogrebinsky believes.
Read also
MP urges to ease pressure on UOC for sake of peace
Oleksii Honcharenko proposed compromises on language, historical memory, and Church issues as part of efforts to achieve peace, saying those who wish to attend the “Russian Church” should be allowed to do so.
Court takes 17th-century church in Staryi Pochaiv from UOC community
A commercial court overturned a 2018 registrar’s decision and stripped the UOC’s Ternopil Eparchy of ownership of the 17th-century church.
Vinnytsia Eparchy honors Bar Icon of the Mother of God
Metropolitan Varsonofiy celebrated the Liturgy at the Bar Convent on the feast day of the wonderworking icon of the Mother of God.
Rada speaker discusses legalization of same-sex marriage in Rivne region
Ruslan Stefanchuk suggested that sponsors of separate bills to legalize same-sex marriage personally make their case to Ukrainians.
SBU told Phanar many UOC bishops would join OCU in 2018, report says
According to a Phanar representative’s account, Ukrainian security services told the Constantinople delegation that many UOC representatives were prepared to attend the OCU’s “Unification Council.” In the end, only two did.
Catholic cardinal visits Ukrainian POWs during trip to Russia
During three days of consultations in Moscow, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi discussed prospects for ending the war in Ukraine.