320 Moscow Patriarchate parishes joined OCU after Tomos, - Poroshenko
Since the Tomos of Autocephaly was granted to Ukraine, 320 parishes have joined Ukraine's independent Orthodox Church.
This was announced by President Petro Poroshenko, Censor.NET reports citing the presidential press service.
"After Ukraine received the Tomos of Autocephaly, 320 parishes have joined our church <...> I can say that now more parishes are joining the OCU per month than during previous 5 years. And it is very important that no one forces anyone," he stressed
According to Poroshenko, Moscow waited for "bloodshed, attacks on temples and seizure of monasteries" in Ukraine. "In vain, because our church is all about faith and love," he added.
Poroshenko noted the Ukrainians do not understand how a country can exist with its church being subordinate to another state and praying for its army.
The President once again thanked everyone who joined the process of obtaining the Tomos for their wisdom, sacrifice. He also noted Metropolitan of Ivano-Frankivsk Andrii. "I am glad that each bishop makes efforts for the united church to succeed. Because we have not completed the process of creating our church, we are only at the beginning of this path," Poroshenko said.
Dec. 15, the Congregative Convocation where Orthodox Church in Ukraine was created took place in Kyiv. Metropolitan of Kyiv and all Rus Epiphanius (Dumenko) was appointed as a leader of the newly created church.
Jan. 5, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew signed Tomos of autocephaly for OCU, and Jan. 6, he passed the document to Metropolitan Epiphanius.
