Yushchenko Convinced that Constantinople Patriarch’s Visit to Ukraine will Be “Important Push” for Church Unity

29-07-2008

29.07.2008, [10:22] // Inter-Christian relations // Kyiv - After his final meeting as part of the visit of Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I to Ukraine, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko expressed his joy that "the patriarch supports the desire of our people to have their own, national, autonomous [pomisna] church... Such a desire responds to all the principles of national, government, and, unconditionally, church life," said Yushchenko. The president stated that "this historic visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I to Ukraine is the start and an important push for the uniting of Ukrainian churches and faithful." RISU's Ukrainian-language site posted the news on 28 July 2008.

According to Yushchenko, the patriarch's visit to celebrate the 1020th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus-Ukraine was a common, bright holy day for us. He thanked the patriarch for the historic spiritual visit to Ukraine and expressed his expectation that from now on the patriarch's efforts at uniting Ukrainian believers and supporting harmony in world Christianity will be very fruitful.

Yushchenko expressed his certainty that the desire for a single, national, autonomous church will be realized inevitably and this will happen in an achievable perspective. "The blessing of Patriarch Bartholomew, which he gave to our people, will facilitate this," said the president.

For his part, Patriarch Bartholomew I assured Yushchenko that the Patriarchate of Constantinople welcomes unifying tendencies in Ukrainian Orthodoxy.

"Because we are representatives of the mother-church, your prospects and your future concern us," said Patriarch Bartholomew. "We are interested in a single Ukrainian church, inasmuch as the interests of Orthodoxy lie in this and the Ukrainian people are interested in this." In addition, he emphasized that the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople is a guarantee of the unity of Orthodoxy.

Patriarch Bartholomew thanked the president of Ukraine for inviting him to conduct this visit, which gave him the opportunity to celebrate jointly the 1020th anniversary of the Baptism of Kyivan Rus and to become acquainted with Ukraine.

http://www.risu.org.ua/eng/news/article;23745/