The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United States of America, Oksana Markarova, met with the Hierarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America.
During the meeting, Elpidophoros expressed his support for the Ukrainian nation.
“I visited the Ambassador of Ukraine Oksana Markarova in Washington and expressed our full support to the Ukrainian people. We condemn the Kremlin’s political and ecclesiastical imperialism, and we appreciate the position of the US government,” the top cleric wrote on Twitter.
In turn, Oksana Markarova tweeted: “It was a pleasure to host His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America at the Ukraine Embassy in the USA today. We feel constant support and value your prayers for 🇺🇦 as Ukraine transforms into a better country for its citizens and defends itself from Russian aggression.”
“I visited the Embassy of Ukraine to express to Ambassador Oksana Markarova our support, as Christians, as Greeks, and as Americans, for the people of Ukraine, who are suffering from a Russian imperialism that is manifesting itself at every level: military, economy, energy resources, and the Church as well,” Elpidophoros wrote on Facebook.
He has noted that it is an “injustice to the history and tradition of Orthodoxy” that instead of supporting the sisters and brothers of Ukraine, the Moscow Patriarchate “obediently follows the Kremlin’s commands and toes its line, dividing Orthodoxy world over and scandalizing the People of God from Ukraine to Africa, and even as far away as Korea.”
“We welcome the US government’s stance and the recent statement by a State Department spokesman condemning the Kremlin’s “malign efforts to instrumentalize Orthodox identity,” underscored Elpidophoros.
