POROSHENKO DOES NOT RULE OUT THAT TOMOS OF AUTOCEPHALY OF ORTHODOX CHURCH IN UKRAINE WILL BE CONFIRMED BY OTHERS ALONG WITH PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW
Interfax-Religiia, 24 April 2018
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko does not rule out that a tomos (an order of a primate of an Orthodox church on an important matter of ecclesiastical polity—IF) regarding the autocephaly of the Orthodox church in Ukraine will be confirmed along with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew by other patriarchs, including the head of the Russian church.
"The ideal scenario for me would be the case that along with Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew, this tomos, this autocephaly, would also be confirmed by all Orthodox churches, including even the Russian patriarch. . . . Do I believe this is possible? The Lord performs miracles. I do not rule even this out," P. Poroshenko said on the program "Freedom of Speech" on ISTV television.
He emphasized that nobody can exercise the right of veto of a decision of the ecumenical patriarch.
"But can Kirill stop the granting to us of a tomos of autocephaly, a charter of independence? I want to declare separately, nobody, including Kirill. A veto of a decision of the ecumenical patriarch does not exist. He does not ask permission from Kirill, but he will conduct consultations on this matter," P. Poroshenko said. (tr. by PDS, posted 24 April 2018)
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