U.S. Dept. of State congratulates Ukraine with creation of new church

Washington, D.C., December 18, 2018

Photo: usembassy.gov Photo: usembassy.gov
    

Robert Palladino, the Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, has released an official message of congratulation to “Metropolitan” Epiphany, the primate of the newly-created Ukrainian nationalist church.

The message, posted on the Department of State’s official website, reads:

The United States congratulates Metropolitan Epifaniy on his election as head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The establishment of the Church was a historic moment for Ukraine. The United States maintains unwavering support for Ukraine and respects the freedom to worship unhindered by outside interference. The right to religious freedom extends to all Ukrainians, including those choosing to join – or not to join – the new Orthodox Church.

The U.S. Embassy in Kiev also released a congratulatory message via Twitter on Saturday.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also released a message in October in support of the creation of an autocephalous church in Ukraine, saying: “The United States reiterates its strong support for religious freedom and the freedom of members of religious groups, including Ukraine’s Orthodox community, to govern their religion according to their beliefs, free of outside interference.”

Moreover, Makary Maletich, formerly the head of one of the two schismatic groups that united on Saturday, revealed that the creation of the new church was, in fact, thanks to the intervention of foreign diplomats.

“I know it,” Makary said on the eve of the council. “Diplomats met with Philaret and with me. There were ambassadors from the U.S., Great Britain, and others. The meetings were held to find out whether we are ready to receive a tomos.”

Meanwhile, also just days before the “council,” Philaret Denisenko, the head of the second structure that joined the union on Saturday, awarded Jack Devine, the former Acting Director and Associate Director of the CIA, for his and the American government’s support of the Ukrainian autocephaly project.

Denisenko has awarded several other U.S. politicians for their activities in regard to Ukraine as well.

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12/18/2018

See also
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The primate of the Polish Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Sawa of Warsaw and All Poland, has again expressed concern about the crisis situation in the life of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church resulting from the unlawful actions of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. U.S. Embassy congratulates Ukrainians with creation of new church U.S. Embassy congratulates Ukrainians with creation of new church U.S. Embassy congratulates Ukrainians with creation of new church U.S. Embassy congratulates Ukrainians with creation of new church
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“If they were in the UOC, then some kind of step could be applied to them… We only state that they went into schism, and we will notify the Local Churches that they no longer appear in the diptychs of the canonical bishops of Ukraine,” Abp. Clement explained. Tomos of autocephaly to be presented January 6, says Constantinople bishop Tomos of autocephaly to be presented January 6, says Constantinople bishop Tomos of autocephaly to be presented January 6, says Constantinople bishop Tomos of autocephaly to be presented January 6, says Constantinople bishop
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