Ambassador: Epifaniy's meeting with the Pope is a step to OCU recognition

Pope Francis and Epifaniy Dumenko. Photo: OCU

Andrii Yurash, Ukraine's Ambassador to the Vatican and religious scholar, stated that the meeting between OCU leader Epifaniy Dumenko and Pope Francis in the Vatican was a significant event in strengthening the international recognition of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). He made this statement during a broadcast on Ukrainian Radio.

"A few years ago, it was hard to imagine joint prayer services like the ones held today. Now, they are attended not only by diplomats accredited to the Holy See but also by representatives of countries with which Ukraine rarely finds common ground," Yurash noted.

He emphasized that the meeting with the Pontiff was an important step in solidifying the OCU's global standing, as Dumenko's structure is currently recognized by only four Orthodox Churches.

The ambassador also pointed out that the Catholic Church maintains its neutrality on the issue of canonical recognition of Orthodox Churches, treating it as an internal matter for Orthodoxy. However, he stated that the dialogue with the Catholic Church and joint activities are, in practice, a form of diplomatic support.

"This meeting marks a new stage in developing the external strategy of Ukrainian Orthodoxy. It reaffirms the importance of mutual understanding and interaction with global Christianity," Andrii Yurash concluded.

As previously reported by the UOJ, during his visit to the Vatican, Dumenko discussed the law banning the UOC with the head of the Pontifical Council.

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