Greek hierarch: Local Churches recognize one Church in Ukraine – UOC

The Hellenic Church, like all other Local Churches, recognizes only the Ukrainian Orthodox Church as the only canonical Church in Ukraine. Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church Metropolitan of Kitrus, Katherine and Platamon George, who arrived in Ukraine on the eve of the celebrations on the occasion of the Day of Baptism of Rus, writes the Information and Education Department of the UOC.

"We are here to demonstrate solidarity with the canonical Church in Ukraine. We pray and hope that schism in Ukraine will be eradicated and your country will have a single Orthodox Church.

We know that some representatives of the so-called Kiev Patriarchate also visit Greece; especially they try to penetrate Mount Athos and other holy places in Greece. But since they do not have the right to perform services, their stay in Greece is largely invisible. About their visits we learn mostly from the Internet.

We need to pray for the unity of the Orthodox Church – so we will be one. One of the reasons for our stay here is that we want by our presence to demonstrate our solidarity and unity with the canonical Church in Ukraine.

The Parliament of Ukraine, referring to the Ecumenical Patriarch, pursued some of its own goals. However, there is such a rule: when politicians interfere in church issues, there are never positive results from this intervention. This question is purely ecclesiastical and it should be addressed by the Local Churches without the participation of politicians. We are sure that the Ecumenical Patriarch will approach this appeal with big caution, as he always does," emphasized Vladyka.