Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew gave an interview with the Bulgarian news agency BGNES, where he also talked about the Ukrainian issue and the Patriarchate of Moscow.
In his interview, Patriarch Bartholomew referred to the granting of
Autocephaly to the Church of Ukraine, stressing that “the Autocephaly
restored the unity of the Church in Ukraine and healed the schism.”
“Patriarch Joachim of Moscow (1674-1690) invaded the Metropolis of
Kiev, which, as we have said, belonged regularly to the Ecumenical
Patriarchate, and elected Bishop Gideon as Metropolitan of Kiev. Thus
the ecclesiastical system of the Metropolis of Kiev, which had been in
operation since 988, changed with a coup, violating the sacred rules in
favour of the Patriarchate of Moscow and against the Church of
Constantinople,” His All-Holiness added.
Finally, the Ecumenical Patriarch said that the presence of the
Patriarchate of Moscow in Ukraine is against the interests and unity of
the Ukrainian people.
“Following the annexation of Crimea in 2014, the conditions for the
Russian presence in Ukraine have become even more difficult. The
shocking political events made the presence of the Patriarchate of
Moscow in Ukraine undesirable, as it damages the interests of the
Ukrainian nation and the unity of the Ukrainian people,” Bartholomew
highlighted.
Regarding the regime of Filaret Denyshenko, he said that “Filaret is
no longer the Patriarch of Kiev, but the former Metropolitan of Kiev.”