OP: Patriarch Bartholomew supports Ukraine's "spiritual independence"
Volodymyr Zelensky and Patriarch Bartholomew. Photo: bbc.com
On August 13, 2024, during a meeting with a delegation of Ukrainian officials and representatives of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), Patriarch Bartholomew expressed his support for President Volodymyr Zelensky's initiatives regarding Ukraine's "spiritual independence", according to the President's Office website.
Deputy Head of the President's Office Olena Kovalska and Head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience Viktor Yelensky thanked Patriarch Bartholomew "for his continuous and unwavering support of Ukraine, which is highly appreciated by the Ukrainian people."
In turn, the head of the Phanar confirmed "his constant readiness to make the necessary efforts for the prosperity of Orthodoxy in Ukraine and noted that he cares for the Orthodox Church of Ukraine."
He also stated that he "supports everything that is aimed at the good of Ukraine."
"In particular, this includes the initiative of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on spiritual independence, which is a prerequisite for the development of our country," the President's Office noted.
Previously, the UOJ reported that on August 10, in his evening address, President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned that he held a meeting "about a decision that will strengthen our spiritual independence".
Read also
U.S. political analyst: Bishop Budde is a 'tool of Satan'
Political analyst Mark Steyn blasted Episcopal Bishop Budde’s stance on families with gay, lesbian, and transgender children.
Archbishop Anastasios of Albania laid to rest in Tirana
The Primate of the Albanian Church was laid to rest in the crypt beneath the Resurrection Cathedral.
UOJ opens its branch in Albania
The new European organization Union of Orthodox Journalists has opened a branch in Albania.
In Bukovyna, UOC believers appeal to Vance on the eve of OCU’s church raid
The parish also invited a UN monitoring group and an OSCE human rights officer.
Abducted by military commissars, archimandrite reveals TRC detention details
The abbot of the monastery in Babai described the conditions in which clergymen are held in the military recruitment center.
Council of Churches in London discusses religion in Ukraine with British MPs
The meeting addressed religious freedom in Ukraine and the challenges faced by various denominations during the war.