Dioceses, clergy, and monasteries must turn to the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine if they are willing to be part of a recognized and canonical Church.
This position was voiced by the Elder of the Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon (Adamakiso), Ukrainian Ambassador to the Vatican Andriy Yurash reported.
“Dioceses, denominations, deaneries, individual structures (parishes, monasteries, missions, etc.), as well as specific clergy, if they wish to be part of the recognized and canonical autocephalous Orthodox Church, must apply to the clergy of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine,” according to the position of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
The Metropolitan of the Ecumenical Patriarchate also noted that according to the Tomos of Autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the Mother Church of Constantinople not only does not want, but cannot (according to canonical rules) be involved in resolving disputes in the Orthodox circles of Ukraine as these issues shall be dealt with by the OCU.
Bishops of the UOC-MP, who ignored their right to join the Unification Council in 2018, where they were invited by a special and personal letter from Patriarch Bartholomew, can exercise this right today, appealing and motivating their position before OCU Primate Metropolitan Epifaniy.
Metropolitan Emmanuel also said that any self-proclaimed autocephaly in Ukraine outside the OCU will not be recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and that no one but the Ecumenical Patriarchate can grant autocephaly.
