Poroshenko Seeks Support of Bartholomew I in Uniting the Ukrainian Church

President Poroshenko hopes for the help of Bartholomew I of Constantinople, the Ecumenical Patriarch and the spiritual leader of Constantinople Patriarchate Orthodox Christians, in creating a United Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

The President stated this while delivering a speech at the ceremony for the anniversary of the Christianization of Kyivan Rus on Saint Volodymyr Hill this Thursday, Interfax-Ukraine reports.

Вітаю всіх з Днем Хрещення Русі-України! pic.twitter.com/vRzztYuloD

— Петро Порошенко (@poroshenko) 28 липня 2016 р.

"We know how much effort was invested by his Holiness into organizing the Pan-Orthodox Council this year and I am very happy with its decisions. The Constantinople Patriarchate was and always will be the Mother Church for Ukraine," — said Poroshenko.

Саме Константинопольська церква для нас була, є і буде Церквою - матір'ю. - Президент на Володимирській гірці.

— Svyatoslav Tsegolko (@STsegolko) 28 липня 2016 р.

Poroshenko added that he knows that Bartholomew is praying for Ukraine and wants to help the country in creating a united Greek Orthodox church.

"Bartholomew is the only person who can help orthodox Ukrainians to unite and settle the canonical status of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox church within the global community of the Constantinople Patriarchate’s Orthodox Christians," — emphasized Poroshenko.

Президент на Володимирській гірці помолився за визволення від нашестя чужинців pic.twitter.com/Xo1FcfXkBh

— Svyatoslav Tsegolko (@STsegolko) 28 липня 2016 р.

According to the President’s press-secretary Svyatoslav Tsegolko, Poroshenko  "prayed for Ukraine to be free of invaders". The President also stated that social opinion polls prove a growing number of Greek Orthodox Ukrainians support a unified autocephalous church.

Соціологічні опитування показують: дедалі більша кількість громадян бажають мати єдину помісну автокефальну церкву pic.twitter.com/oGxykiI9mh

— Петро Порошенко (@poroshenko) 28 липня 2016 р.

Another tweet by Tsegolko quoting Poroshenko: "the Rada wisely addressed the Ecumenical Patriarch regarding providing autocephaly to the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church".

On July 28, Ukraine celebrates the Day of Christianization of Kyivan Rus. On the eve of this holiday the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate organized a Cross Procession in the center of Kyiv. The center of the city was closed for this reason due to a number of security alerts.

On Thursday, the parish of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate are conducting a public prayer service on Saint Volodymyr Hill. No street closures are planned.

Source: Ukrayinska Pravda