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During the working visit to Vinnytsia region, President Petro
Poroshenko took part in the thanksgiving service for the Tomos of
autocephaly of the UOC. The service was conducted by Primate of the
Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine
Epifaniy and Metropolitan Simeon of Vinnytsia and Bar in the Cathedral
of Vinnytsia. The Tomos of Autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine
was brought to the Cathedral.
After the prayer, the Head of State appealed to the audience in the
Cathedral and congratulated everyone on Christmas and New Year holidays,
noting that this year these holidays are special. "This year we
celebrate Christmas in a special way, because the Lord has given us a
huge gift, aspired by generations of Ukrainians. We are lucky to witness
that ... Not witness, but be part of the process of creating a united,
autocephalous, key word - Ukrainian, holy church," Petro Poroshenko
said.
The President recalled all stages of the process of establishing the
Orthodox Church of Ukraine. He noted that talks with the Ecumenical
Patriarchate on that issue had been held for a long time. Petro
Poroshenko especially thanked Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for the
determination, courage, faith and wisdom shown by His All-Holiness in
resolving this issue. "Despite the enormous pressure from the Russian
Federation - aggressor country, direct threats, threats to him, threats
to the church, he did it," Petro Poroshenko noted.
"As a believer I would like to emphasize that without God's help it
would not have been possible," the President said. He noted that the
hierarchs of the churches demonstrated unity on this issue by supporting
appropriate appeal to the Ecumenical Patriarch for granting autocephaly
to the Ukrainian church.
"I want to thank His Bliss Bishop Epifaniy, Bishop Simeon, Bishop
Alexander and all the hierarchs here. I want to thank the hierarchs of
Ukrainian churches who have decided to unite. I would like to thank His
Holiness Filaret, His Beatitude Makariy. Because unity is what Ukraine
urgently needs," the President said.
The Head of State also noted that, despite skepticism, the formation
of the Ukrainian church from the historical point of view occurred
instantaneously, in days or weeks.
"I came here with the words of gratitude to each of you for this
prayer, for without the prayer it would have been impossible. For the
faith you demonstrated, I would like to thank Bishop Simeon for his
support... Without your support, it is simply impossible to do that with
administrative methods," Petro Poroshenko said. He also thanked for the
fact that today Vinnytsia region is the first in the number of parishes
that have decided to join the UOC.
