"Fathers of Tomos" pray with the Uniates in Zarvanitsa

Petro Poroshenko and Rostislav Pavlenko (the far right) at the service of the UGCC in Zarvanitsa. Photo: prm.ua

Representatives of the European Solidarity party Petro Poroshenko and Rostislav Pavlenko, fathers and curators of the OCU, prayed with the Uniates in Zarvanitsa, Ternopil region.

According to Channel 5, at the Greek Catholic event, which this year is dedicated to the 425th anniversary of the proclamation of the Brest Union, Poroshenko said that a historic event, no less important than the visit of Pope John Paul II to Ukraine for 20 years back, is to take place in August.

“This year Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is coming to Ukraine. A person who made a decisive decision out of love for Ukraine – to grant the Tomos to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. I also hope and pray to God that this will be the unification of world Orthodoxy and the support for our church,” the ex-president said.

After participating in the liturgy, led by the leader of the UGCC Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Poroshenko "thanked His Beatitude Sviatoslav for the joint prayer for Ukraine during the traditional pilgrimage to Zarvanitsa," “Pryamyi” reports.

“We have discussed future spiritual undertakings that will contribute to interfaith dialogue and unification of Ukrainian society,” the resource cites the leader of the “EU”.

Together with Poroshenko, his wife Marina and MP Rostislav Pavlenko, who previously did the main negotiation work on the creation of the OCU, attended the prayer with the Uniates.

The UGCC annually organizes the All-Ukrainian "forgiveness" to Zarvanitsa, which is one of the most famous places of pilgrimage for Ukrainian Greek Catholics. Last year, due to the coronavirus, the event took place online.

As reported, earlier Petro Poroshenko took part in the festive liturgy in Phanar and met with Patriarch Bartholomew.

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