Epifaniy praises Patriarch of Alexandria for "following fhe OCU's Tomos"
Patriarch Theodoros. Photo: Ekirikas
Epifaniy Dumenko, the leader of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), sent a congratulatory message to Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria on the occasion of his 70th birthday, as Dumenko said on his Facebook page.
In his message, he claimed that Patriarch Theodoros "testifies to his commitment to the canonical order of the Church through words of truth and righteous deeds." Dumenko also praised the Patriarch of Alexandria for "following the Tomos of autocephaly of the Church and lovingly welcoming it into communion."
It is worth recalling that until the end of 2018, Patriarch Theodoros called on Ukrainians to remain faithful to the canonical Church under Metropolitan Onufriy. He also stated that he as the patriarch recognized Metropolitan Onufriy as the canonical head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. For this, Yevstratiy Zoria accused Patriarch Theodoros of corruption, claiming that he had received "gifts and envelopes" for his stance.
"I don't know about others, but for me, such a bought opinion is not only worthless but, on the contrary, serves as proof of the wrongdoing of those in whose favor this VIP propaganda is voiced," Zorшa wrote.
After Patriarch Theodoros changed his position on the Ukrainian issue, the OCU also reversed its opinion. In 2021, Zoria stated that the OCU "enjoys the support" of the Patriarch of Alexandria.
Read also
UOC faithful make pilgrimage to Georgia’s holy sites
The pilgrims visited churches and monasteries in Tbilisi, Mtskheta, Kutaisi, and at the foot of Mount Kazbek.
Bulgarian Church Synod condemns suspended cleric's slander against Patriarch
The Holy Synod spoke out against the politicization of religion and the cleric's attempts to portray himself as a "victim."
UOC faithful hold religious procession to monastery in Zakarpattia
Pilgrims from Irshava visited the Dubrivka Monastery and churches in the villages of Bilky and Pryborzhavske.
Turkey begins installing protective covering over Hagia Sophia's dome
A temporary covering will be installed to preserve the structures, mosaics, and ensure workers' safety during the cathedral restoration.
Sviatohirsk Lavra celebrates its principal shrine
On July 29–30, the Holy Dormition Lavra celebrated the feast of the wonderworking Sviatohirsk Icon of the Mother of God.
Court extends restrictive measure for Met. Theodosiy until late September
The hierarch’s defense dismissed the prosecutors’ claims as empty formalism, stressing that there was no evidence of any violations.