UOC Spokesman: MFA distorts words of Cyprus Church on situation in Ukraine

The Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Cyprus and the Primate of the Cyprus Orthodox Church, Archbishop Chrysostom

The report, published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, in which the Primate of the Cyprus Church ostensibly expresses support for autocephaly in Ukraine, differs significantly from the report on this meeting on the official resource of the Cyprus Church. On September 27, it was told to the UOJ by the Deputy Head of the UOC DECR, Protopriest Nikolai Danilevich.

"Today in our media there was published news that the Church of Cyprus purportedly "supports autocephaly for Ukraine, "Father Nikolai said. “Referring to the website of the Embassy of Ukraine in Cyprus, the information was also republished by other sites, in particular, by RISU. In the text of the news there are such words: "Archbishop of Cyprus Chrysostomos II expressed his support to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, emphasizing the right of Ukraine as a large independent state to have its autocephalous Church." But there is no single quotation or direct speech of the Archbishop, which would confirm this thesis. That is, these are not the words of the Archbishop – this is the version of our Embassy, or rather, the Ambassador."

However, the true information about the meeting is available on the official website of the Cyprus Archdiocese, moreover, the title and statement of the news look in a different way, the deputy head of the UOC DECR noted. On the site, the news is entitled: "Archbishop of Cyprus: The Church of Cyprus will be the bridge for resolving the problematic Ukrainian issue."

"The text of the news says that at the meeting with the Ambassador of Ukraine on this day – September 26 – Archbishop of Cyprus Chrysostom expressed concern about the latest developments in the Ukrainian Church, wishing that “there would be no split that would harm (literally: wound – the author) the unity of all Orthodoxy," said Protopriest Nikolai Danilevich. “Also, the Archbishop in conversation confirmed that the Church of Cyprus will become a bridge for resolving the problematic Ukrainian issue that arose. Do you feel the difference?".

Father Nikolai noted that although there is no direct speech of the Archbishop, however, these abstracts are posted on the official website of the Church of Cyprus. "Therefore, these words should be regarded as a true position of Archbishop Chrysostom," the Spokesman of the UOC concluded.

Previously, the Apostolic Nunciature in Ukraine refuted the statement of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs that "the Vatican respects the decision of the Ukrainian people to create a Single Local Church."

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