Patriarch Bartholomew commemorates OCU head in the presence of BOC Patriarch

Patriarch Bartholomew and Patriarch Daniel. Photo: Orthodoxia News Agency

On December 26, 2025, during a joint Divine Liturgy of the Constantinopolitan and Bulgarian Patriarchs, Patriarch Bartholomew commemorated the head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Serhii Dumenko, in the presence of the Primate of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

At the same time, representatives of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine did not take part in the joint service. The commemoration was carried out within the diptychs of the Constantinople Patriarchate and was not accompanied by concelebration with OCU “hierarchs”.

The very fact of commemoration does not signify any change in the official position of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church regarding the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Earlier, Patriarch Daniel repeatedly emphasized that the Bulgarian Church has not recognized the OCU and does not mention it in its own diptychs.

In December 2025, Patriarch Daniel stated that representatives of the OCU would not participate in joint services at the Phanar during his visit to the Ecumenical Patriarch. “The Bulgarian Orthodox Church has not recognized the OCU and does not mention it in the diptychs,” Patriarch Daniel stressed. According to him, this understanding had been reached in advance and taken into account during preparations for the visit.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Bulgarian Patriarch would make an official visit to the Phanar.

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