Constantinople hierarch: We hope the ROC helps bring one Church in Ukraine

Metropolitan Emmanuel (right) at the "unification council" of the OCU. Photo: Mykhailo Markiv/AP

Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, commenting to Παραπολιτικά 90,1, said that the church dimension plays a key role in the search for a just peace in Ukraine. He made the comment in the context of accusations by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) against the Patriarch of Constantinople.

According to him, during the latest meeting with Epifaniy Dumenko at the Phanar, Patriarch Bartholomew emphasized that “the Patriarchate remains open to dialogue, and hopes for good will on the part of the Moscow Patriarchate as well, so that there may be a single Church in Ukraine.”

At the same time, in Metropolitan Emmanuel’s view, this dialogue can be based only on the position “that we always support the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.”

He expressed confidence that “things are indeed improving on the church side.” According to the metropolitan, when the war ends and the Ukrainian conflict is settled, many faithful of the UOC will want to transfer to the OCU.

“But for now they are afraid to do so – they fear persecution from Moscow, as happened in the past,” the Metropolitan of Chalcedon said.

He assured that at the Phanar they “have never closed the door to dialogue.”

“His All-Holiness, from the very beginning, showed good will and sought for both churches – the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Moscow Patriarchate – to work out a common position on the Ukrainian issue. But Moscow does not wish to enter into dialogue. At the same time, our position is absolutely clear. His All-Holiness continues to celebrate services at which the diptychs are read. And when the heads of all the Orthodox autocephalous churches are commemorated, the Patriarch of Moscow is commemorated on an equal footing with the others. We are not closing the door to dialogue,” the metropolitan stressed.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Constantinople responded to Russia’s criticism of Patriarch Bartholomew.

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