Ukrainian Foreign Minister urges all denominations to help establish SLC
On May 11, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine held a meeting with religious leaders about the establishment of the Single Local Church in the country.
Foreign Minister Pavel Klimkin called on all faiths to express their support for Petro Poroshenko's church initiative on granting autocephaly to the Ukrainian Church.
"The creation of the Single Local Orthodox Church in Ukraine is the cause not only of the Orthodox, but of the entire nation of the joint independent Ukraine," Pavel Klimkin wrote on his Facebook page. "Today, a very interesting and necessary talk about autocephaly with representatives of various denominations and religions of our country took place in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I am convinced that this is our common spiritual mission and, in order to successfully carry it out, we must have a dialogue, listen carefully, hear and understand each other, and above all – help each other and build our future together. Everyone has their own way to God. But God is one. And Ukraine is one for all of us."
The UOC believes that politicians should not interfere in the affairs of the Church, because their attempts to create the SLC can lead to even greater division among Orthodox Ukrainians.
