Kiev, December 6, 2019
Epiphany Dumenko, the “Metropolitan of Kiev” of the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine, intends to travel to Egypt in the coming new year to concelebrate with Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria.
The Patriarch of Alexandria first commemorated Dumenko during the Divine services on November 8. As he explained, he made the decision to do so after discussing the Ukrainian issue with his hierarchs and in order to stand with the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
In a recent interview with the BBC, Dumenko says that the OCU is now preparing his irenic visit to Cairo to serve with the Patriarch, which should take place at the beginning of the new year. A specific date has not been set yet, as Pat. Theodoros is busy with trips throughout Africa.
His visit will also mark the “establishment of official relations with the Alexandrian Orthodox Church,” Dumenko says.
It was reported last month that plans are also underway for Dumenko to visit Greece and serve with Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens, who has also recognized the former as a primate and entered into communion with the OCU.
However, Dumenko notes in his new interview that protocol dictates that he visit Alexandria first, as it is higher in the diptychs than the Church of Greece.
“I must first visit the Patriarch of Alexandria and have a concelebration with him, and then—my visit to Athens,” the schismatic metropolitan said.
In the same interview, Dumenko said the Local Orthodox Churches should simply accept Constantinople’s decisions without discussion, lest they place their own autocephalies in danger.
