THREE FORMER PRESIDENTS SIGN JOINT APPEAL FOR AUTOCEPHALY OF UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
Former Ukrainian presidents Leonid Kravchuk, Leonid Kuchma, and Viktor Yushchenko signed a joint appeal in which they supported the initiative to turn to the ecumenical patriarch with a request to grant autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
"After discussions in our circle, we signed a joint appeal," said L. Kravchuk in a joint press conference with L. Kuchma and V. Yushchenko on Tuesday in Kiev.
"We consider that the grant of autocephaly by the Constantinople Mother-Church will play an important role in strengthening the independence of Ukraine, the spiritual and national unity of our people, and the development of religious liberty in Ukraine, and it will facilitate fruitful inter-confessional dialogue in our country," L. Kravchuk explained the text of the appeal.
The former presidents urged unification for the creation of an autocephalous Orthodox church of Ukraine.
"We are convinced that the unity of the Ukrainian people, which will be strengthened by the great force of an autocephalous Orthodox local church, will become an impregnable spiritual fortress in the struggle with Russian aggression against Ukraine. Thus we support the efforts of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in this question that is extremely important for Ukraine and we appeal to all citizens, responsible politicians, and public leaders to unite around this great goal and work actively together for creation of an autocephalous Orthodox church of Ukraine," the document says. (tr. by PDS, posted 8 May 2018)
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