Patriarch Kirill comments on Phanar head’s visit to Ukraine
Patriarch Kirill during a divine service on the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos. Photo: vologda-mitropolia.ru
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ called the visit of Patriarch Bartholomew to Ukraine sinful and inexplicable, reports ria.ru.
“May the Most Holy Theotokos help to preserve the unity of the Orthodox Churches, torn apart by evil forces today. And we know what is happening today in Ecumenical Orthodoxy, how these forces, taking advantage of the difficult situation that has developed in Ukraine, are trying to break the unity of the Orthodox Church. And they succeed in something: an example of this is the sinful and inexplicable visit of the Patriarch of Constantinople to Kiev and his concelebration with schismatics,” said Patriarch Kirill in his sermon on the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow.
Patriarch Bartholomew visited Ukraine from August 20 to 24, taking part in the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the country's independence. During the visit, he concelebrated with the head of the OCU Epiphany Dumenko at the St. Sophia of Kiev, met with the country's President Vladimir Zelensky, Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal and Parliament Speaker Dmitry Razumkov.
Patriarch Bartholomew’s visit to Ukraine caused a protest among the UOC believers, who on August 21 came to the Verkhovna Rada to meet with Patriarch Bartholomew and express their disagreement with the Tomos bestowal, but Patriarch Bartholomew did not come out to them.
As reported, the expert said that the Phanar head’s visit increases the probability of an OCU-UGCC alliance.
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