It is impossible to legalize schism, – Met. Anthony about meeting in Phanar

Patriarch Bartholomew and Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich) at a meeting in Istanbul on June 23, 2018

On June 23, representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Patriarchate of Constantinople held frank discussions, according to Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich) of Borispol and Brovary, the Chancellor of the UOC.

The purpose of the meeting was to provide Phanar with the objective information on the problems of Ukrainian Orthodoxy, as well as to hear directly from Patriarch Bartholomew whether he really intends to grant the Tomos on autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, reports the Information and Education Department of the UOC.

"It was repeatedly said about the impossibility of legalizing the schism, the question should be raised about the cure," said Metropolitan Anthony. "Figuratively speaking, sometimes medicines do not help, and now we are in search of something that will help unite our brothers who have long been outside the church fence; and we see that the desire of the Patriarch of Constantinople – the Church in which we were baptized – is to help in this matter."

According to the Chancellor of the UOC, Patriarch Bartholomew stressed that he does not want to interfere in the situation, but at the same time he wants to help solve the complex "Ukrainian issue". "We must do everything to ensure that our brothers and compatriots who are in schism will return to the bosom of the Orthodox Church," concluded Bishop Anthony. 

The delegation of the UOC arrived at a meeting in Istanbul on June 23. The main topic of discussion is the question of granting the Tomos on autocephaly for the Orthodox Church in Ukraine.

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