Consultations of Local Churches on the religious situation in Ukraine begin
Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Photo: Efrem Lukatsky/AP/dpa/picture alliance)
The Serbian publication Zhurnal reports that consultations of the Local Orthodox Churches regarding the ecclesiastical order of Ukraine have begun.
A key aspect of these consultations is the participation of representatives from the Phanar and the Russian Orthodox Church.
The meeting of Constantinople representatives took place before Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election was announced, but in anticipation of it. Sources indicate that during the meeting, the Phanar reps questioned the figure of Epifaniy Dumenko as the leader of the OCU, though they remained steadfast on the issue of church autocephaly.
The Zhurnal article claims that Mike Pompeo, former Secretary of State under President-elect Donald Trump, played a crucial role in the formation and establishment of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). However, Tucker Carlson and Vice President Vance have repeatedly pointed to the violations of fundamental rigths and freedoms of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), led by Metropolitan Onuphry.
Religious freedom is expected to once again become a priority for the next Trump-led administration.
The Serbian Orthodox Church has taken on the role of mediator in these consultations among the Local Churches. During a meeting yesterday between Patriarch Porfirije and the Ukrainian ambassador to Belgrade, it was officially stated that the Serbian Orthodox Church maintains its position that a canonical approach should be applied to resolve the church issue in Ukraine, which was not done in due time.
Previously, the UOJ reported that Metropolitan Luke proposed strengthening and expanding "Amman format".
Read also
They took away passport but not Christ, UOC hierarch on Metropolitan Onuphry
Metropolitan Luke believes that stripping the UOC Primate of Ukrainian citizenship is a form of political repression.
Mayor of Chernivtsi claims cathedral and other UOC churches belong to OCU
According to Klichuk, the shrines were transferred from the UOC to the Dumenko structure "legally".
Zelensky comments on decision to revoke citizenship of UOC Primate
Referring to His Beatitude, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that "there is no place for all these persons in Ukraine, and there never will be."
Greek media criticize OCU for joint services with UGCC
The resource believes that it is part of the general framework of a gradually implemented uniatisation of the Orthodox Church.
In vlg. Druzhba, Rivne region, new altar of UOC church consecrated
The consecration was performed by Archbishop Pimen.
Synod of Romanian Church criticizes Ukrainian authorities
Romanian hierarchs consider the refusal of Ukrainian state bodies to recognize the religious association of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Ukraine as "unjustified, and abusive".