Head of Phanar confirms his arrival in Ukraine to "Servants of the People"

Meeting of the head of Phanar with Ukrainian MPs in Istanbul. Photo: Facebook page of Yevheniya Kravchuk

At a meeting with the Ukrainian delegation in Istanbul, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople confirmed he would come to Kyiv to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's Independence. This was announced on March 6 by the deputy head of the Servant of the People faction Yevhenia Kravchuk on her Facebook page.

“Wonderful news from Istanbul! At a meeting with a delegation of MPs from the Servant of the People faction, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, confirmed his arrival in Ukraine to attend the festivities on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Independence – at the invitation of Vladimir Zelensky,” the message says.

According to the representative of the faction, “it is very symbolic that the celebration of the Independence Day of Ukraine will be attended by the patriarch, who played one of the key roles by gaining independence and recognition of Ukrainian Orthodoxy”.

During a meeting with the head of Phanar, Ukrainian MPs congratulated him on his birthday and presented him with an icon in the Petrykivka style, painted in the colors of the Ukrainian national flag.

We will remind, on October 16, 2020, Vladimir Zelensky paid a visit to Phanar, during which he met with Patriarch Bartholomew and invited him to Ukraine. On November 30, after a festive service with the participation of Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal, the head of Phanar announced he intends to visit Ukraine in August 2021.

Experts believe that by inviting the Patriarch of Constantinople to Ukraine, the authorities hope to solve the problem of halted recognition of the OCU by canonical Churches.

The UOJ also wrote that Zelensky invited US President Joe Biden to the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's Independence.

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