Zelensky confirms that he urged Phanar to grant patriarchate status to OCU

Zelensky with the Phanar delegation. Photo: Office of the President

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that he urged the Patriarchate of Constantinople to elevate the status of the OCU to that of a patriarchate, reports LB. He mentioned this to journalists, noting that the request was made at the end of August during a meeting with delegates of Patriarch Bartholomew who visited Kyiv.

"I said that our people, Ukrainians, would understand if our status was raised to a patriarchate. The exarchs received the information and will convey it to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for consultation," Zelensky stated.

According to him, the representatives of the Constantinople Patriarch already have an action plan on this matter, but the final decision will be discussed with Patriarch Bartholomew. The President added that the exarchs are in contact with Viktor Yelensky, head of the State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience, and are expected to return with specific proposals.

As reported by the UOJ, during an earlier meeting with the head of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Bartholomew, on July 8, 2023, President Zelensky demanded that the OCU be granted the status of a patriarchate.

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