Constantinople Patriarchate reps dissatisfied with the meeting with Dumenko

Phanar delegation during a meeting with Dumenko. Photo: pomisna.info

The UOJ has found out some details about the meeting between the delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the head of the OCU, Epifaniy Dumenko, from its own sources.

On August 22, a delegation from the Patriarchate of Constantinople, including Metropolitan Ilarion of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, Archbishop of Winnipeg, Metropolitan Job of Pisidia, and Patriarchal Deacon Epiphanios (Kamiannovych), met with Epifaniy Dumenko.

A UOJ source reported that representatives of the Patriarchate of Constantinople concluded that for Dumenko, the meeting was merely formal, and all his statements were of a declarative nature.

Additionally, before the meeting began, a conflict occurred between the Exarch for the Ecumenical Patriarch in Ukraine, Bishop Michael of Comana, and the security at the OCU head's residence.

The security initially refused to let the Ecumenical Patriarchate hierarch into the building on the grounds that he was "not on the list of participants for the meeting". After a scandal, Bishop Michael was allowed to participate in the discussion with Dumenko.

The UOJ source also noted that the head of the OCU sat at the head of the table, demonstrating his attitude toward the hierarchs of the "Mother Church" as subordinates.

The results of the meeting did not satisfy the hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the UOJ source reported.

Earlier, the Union of Orthodox Journalists wrote that Patriarch Bartholomew asked Dumenko to inform him about the extent of the violent confrontations between communities during the "transitions" from the UOC to the OCU.

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The discussion was about the "need to intensify the search for diplomatic solutions and to avert the risk of an escalation of the conflict".