Phanar rep: There will be no autocephaly until there is peace in Ukraine

Metropolitan Ambrosios of Korea and Metropolitan Luke of Zaporozhye

The words of the Phanar’s representative are conveyed by Metropolitan Luke of Zaporozhye and Melitopol, who had had talked with vladyka Ambrosios in Greek Veria, reports the site of Zaporozhye eparchy of the UOC.

"Patriarch Bartholomew is particularly concerned about the split that the current head of the Kyiv Patriarchate triggered with the support of politicians," the words of the Metropolitan of Korea are broadcast on the website of the Zaporozhye eparchy. “Aware of the responsibility for the church unity, His Holiness wishes, without interfering in the internal life of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and in the political situation, to help solve a very difficult issue – the existence of the schism in Ukraine, which can only be settled by canonical means. The question is so complex that so far no one knows how to resolve it and at the same time not to lose our brothers, who are in schism, to return them to the saving bosom of the Orthodox Church."

Metropolitan Luke of Zaporozhye voiced to the representative of the Patriarchate of Constantinople the opinion of the UOC: in the case of legitimization of the Kyiv Patriarchate, Orthodoxy in Ukraine will not become integral anyway. At the same time, new bloody clashes may occur in the fight for the Lavras.

Metropolitan of Korea Ambrosios stressed that Patriarch Bartholomew understands this, and the decision to grant Tomos on autocephaly is not to be taken in the near future. Vladyka Ambrosios asked the Orthodox "not to yield to the propaganda tricks of some mass media. Until there is peace and unity in Ukraine, until there are found ways that will help cure the split, until there is repentance on the part of those who inflicted the split wound on the body of the Mother Church, it is premature to talk about Tomos. The campaign for the legalization of the split, which is now unleashed by some Ukrainian political forces and the media, is pure propaganda, which Patriarch Bartholomew has nothing to do with."

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