Kiev, October 12, 2018
Photo: president.gov.ua Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has offered a word of thanks to “everyone who fought for and supported the creation of the Autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church,” praising the Ukrainian victory of good over evil, over the “Moscow demons.”
An article published on the official website of the President of Ukraine quotes Poroshenko as saying, “I want to thank every participant of the Procession on July 28, and all Ukrainians who strive for the Autocephalous Church and pray for it.” In particular, he expressed gratitude to the Ukrainian Parliament which supported his appeal for autocephaly, Philaret Denisenko, the head of the non-canonical Kiev Patriarchate, and Makary Maletich, the head of the non-canonical Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, and congratulated them on being accepted into communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
And congratulating all those who support the move for autocephaly in Ukraine, he stated, “Today we received the Autocephaly, and after the Council, the Primate of the Ukrainian Local Orthodox Church will obtain Tomos. I sincerely congratulate you on this very grand historical event, and I am very grateful for the massive support of the idea that came about.”
Note that Constantinople has not yet created a new autocephalous church in Ukraine, as Poroshenko states, but has rather revived its own presence in the country by revoking the 1686 document that transferred the Kiev Metropolia to the Moscow Patriarchate and declaring its intention to reopen a stravropegion in Kiev.
President Poroshenko has often characterized the push for autocephaly as a means of national security against Russia, which Ukraine officially recognizes as an “aggressor state.”
Expressing his view of the Moscow Patriarchate, Poroshenko added, “This is a great victory of the God-loving Ukrainian people over the Moscow demons, the victory of Good over Evil, the victory of Light over Darkness.”
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