Bulgarian hierarch calls UOC one and only canonical Church in Ukraine

Metropolitan Gabriel of Lovech. Photo: news.church.ua

On May 15, 2021, Metropolitan Gabriel of Lovech, during his visit to the Poltava Eparchy, conveyed the blessing of the Primate of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch Neophytos, to all the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, reports the Information and Education Department of the UOC.

On the feast day of St. Athanasius, Patriarch of Constantinople, Wonderworker of Lubensk, Vladyka concelebrated with Metropolitan Philip of Poltava and Mirgorod during the Divine Liturgy at the Mgar Transfiguration Monastery.

Metropolitan Gabriel thanked for the invitation to raise his prayers in the historic monastery and also stressed that the only canonical Orthodox Church in Ukraine is the one headed by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry.

“His Holiness Patriarch Neophytos of Bulgaria all-cheerfully blessed me to come and take part,” said the Metropolitan. Э I want, dear Vladyka, to congratulate you on behalf of the clerics, the clergy, and the believing Christians of our diocese, who currently have a special love for your Holy Church. Because your Church is going through the time of trial, the time of persecution, but at the same time, you are growing spiritually with the help of God. We take the example of faith from the clergy and people of Ukraine. There is only one Church, and this Orthodox Church in Ukraine is represented by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is headed by Metropolitan Onuphry and you here in your diocese.”

Vladyka also added that "God's grace is given only where the canons and dogmas are observed".

Earlier in the capital of Bulgaria, the secretary of the Holy Synod of the BOC with the clergy of the Russian Church prayed for the unity of Orthodoxy, preservation from schisms and peace in Ukraine.

Read also