UGCC head: We contributed to the meeting between the Pope and OCU leader

Pope Francis and Serhiy Dumenko. Photo: Press Service of the OCU

The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), Sviatoslav Shevchuk, stated in an interview with RBC-Ukraine that his organization was involved in arranging the meeting between Epifaniy Dumenko and Pope Francis.

"The very fact of the meeting is very positive, and we were also part of it," said Shevchuk. "Our opinion is often sought. From the very beginning of this church's existence, we have been strong advocates for the OCU, including before the Apostolic See."

"We even suffered for this, one might say," Shevchuk added. According to him, he and his colleagues "had to explain the gesture of the Ecumenical Patriarch, why it is important, and what it signifies."

He noted that conducting such educational activities in the Vatican was necessary because "the Moscow side was poisoning the ecclesiastical-religious world with its propaganda, including on this topic (the OCU – Ed.)."

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Shevchuk called on Ukrainian authorities to fight UOC communities abroad.

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