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Constantinople’s decisions on Ukraine invalid, says UOC MP Bishop’s Council

The council also opposed changing the name of the church

© AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka

KIEV, November 13. /TASS/. The decisions of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople on Ukraine are invalid, the Bishop’s Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP) stated on Tuesday on the outcomes of the session in Kiev.

"The process of granting the tomos of autocephaly to Ukraine is artificially imposed from the outside and does not reflect the internal needs of the church," a statement circulated by the UOC MP on the outcomes of the council informs.

Read also

Church autocephaly only fuels tensions in Ukrainian society — key Russian bishop

The council also opposed changing the name of the church, adding that Constantinople’s meddling in the Ukrainian church issues "with the help of the state and schismatics" is unacceptable.

On the outcomes of the Holy and Sacred Synod held on October 9-11, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople announced the decision to lift the anathema against leaders of two extracanonical churches in Ukraine - Filaret of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate and Makariy of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. The Ecumenical Patriarchate also announced that it is starting the process of granting autocephalous status to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

In response to this, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church has made a decision to cease joint Eucharistic celebrations (joint liturgies) with Constantinople.

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