Sunday, September 25, 2011

Two Orthodox Church Heads Meet in Ukraine; Agree to Dialogue to Achieve Orthodox Unity

The Religious Information Service of Ukraine website reports today (September 25, 2011) that a meeting was held between the head of the Kiev Patriarchate, Patriarch Filaret, and the head of the Ukrainian Autocephalous (self-headed) Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Mefodii, on September 14, in order to discuss unity of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine.

The meeting was also attended by Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko.

At the meeting, the primates signed a joint statement regarding the fruitfulness and usefulness of the meeting, and agreement to take steps to resume the dialogue between the two Churches for the restoration of unity of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine.

The Orthodox Church in Ukraine is divided into three major branches: the Orthodox Church--Moscow Patriarchate, the Orthodox Church--Kiev Patriarchate, and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church which is independent. There is also the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) which is under the jurisdiction of the Pope in Rome.

No comments:

Post a Comment