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.<\/p>\n
During the meeting, Elpidophoros expressed his support for the Ukrainian nation.<\/p>\n
\u201cI 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,\u201d the top cleric wrote on Twitter<\/a>.<\/p>\n In turn, Oksana Markarova tweeted<\/a>: \u201cIt was a pleasure to host His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America at the Ukraine Embassy in the USA \u00a0today. We feel constant support and value your prayers for \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 as Ukraine transforms into a better country for its citizens and defends itself from Russian aggression.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI 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,\u201d Elpidophoros wrote on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n He has noted that it is an \u201cinjustice to the history and tradition of Orthodoxy\u201d that instead of supporting the sisters and brothers of Ukraine, the Moscow Patriarchate \u201cobediently follows the Kremlin\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe welcome the US government’s stance and the recent statement by a State Department spokesman condemning the Kremlin’s \u201cmalign efforts to instrumentalize Orthodox identity,\u201d underscored Elpidophoros.<\/p>\n