Patriarch of Bulgaria says OCU issue was discussed in Istanbul

Bulgarian Patriarch Daniel. Photo: bg-patriarshia.bg

The Primate of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Daniel, said in an interview on the national television program Panorama that during his visit to Istanbul the Ukrainian issue was discussed with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

According to Patriarch Daniel, even before the visit, in talks with the Ecumenical Patriarchate he insisted that during the visit and the joint services there should be no hierarchs or clergy from that Church (the OCU – Ed.). Patriarch Bartholomew, he said, gave such a promise.

He recalled that soon after the creation of the OCU in 2019, while still Metropolitan of Vidin, he wrote a letter to the Local Churches criticizing the legality of establishing that organization. Patriarch Daniil said that during their personal meeting he apologized to Patriarch Bartholomew for that letter. However, the apology concerned the form of the letter, not its content.

“He said that this issue is forgotten. But at the same time I told him that I stand by all the theses set out in my letter. Because dogmatic, canonical, and ecclesiological questions are being examined here,” Patriarch Daniel emphasized.

The Patriarch also expressed hope that in the future the Church will give a conciliar answer to all unresolved questions.

As the UOJ previously reported, Patriarch Daniel said earlier that the position on the OCU remains unchanged. “The Bulgarian Orthodox Church has not recognized the OCU and does not commemorate it in the diptychs,” Patriarch Daniel stressed.

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