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On 31 May, 2019, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
received a delegation from the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine
at the headquarters of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul.
The
Ecumenical Patriarch stressed that “the recent granting of Autocephaly
to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine had nothing to do with politics and
geopolitics” but “was before all a pastoral concern for justice, for
spiritual justice.” It was granted “based upon the centuries-old
tradition of the Church, inspired by the Gospel, respectful of the holy
canons and free of any political and diplomatic pressure.” He reminded
that “the granting of Autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in
Ukraine followed the same process whereby ecclesiastical independence
was granted to all of the newly created Churches.” His All-Holiness also
explicitly underlined that “as for Filaret, he was restored to his
episcopal dignity as former Metropolitan of Kiev. The so-called
‘Patriarchate of Kiev’ does not exist and never existed.”
Here is the full message that His All-Holiness delivered:
Distinguished Journalists of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is our great pleasure and honor to welcome you today at the
Center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. As you all know, our Mother
Church of Constantinople has always expressed a deep concern regarding
the religious situation of the Ukrainian people. Thus, the recent
granting of Autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine had nothing to
do with politics and geopolitics. It was before all a pastoral concern
for justice, for spiritual justice. For decades, if not centuries,
Ukraine was not able to enjoy complete freedom from external
influences, especially from the Russian State. The recent division of
the body of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine into three separate entities
was a deep wound for the communion of the entire Orthodox Christian
world. There is no freedom in division, because freedom is identical
to unity.
We are sure that the granting of Autocephaly will ultimately help
with the question of unity. Until recently, most of the Ukrainian
people were outside of the Orthodox Church. This reality, the existence
of two schismatic groups, was a real agony. Recall the words of St.
Paul: “if one member suffers, all suffer together.” (I Corinthians
12:26)
In order to address the schism and promote unity among the
Orthodox in Ukraine, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, as the Mother Church
of the Ukrainian People, gladly responded to the numerous petitions
of Presidents, civil authorities, and the faithful of the country, with
the decision to finally grant the much-desired Autocephaly. And let us
not forget that similar requests for “complete canonical
independence,” namely the Autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,
had already been addressed by the Bishops of Ukraine to the late
Patriarch of Moscow, Alexis II, in November of 1991.
However, the proper ecclesiological response offered by
the Ecumenical Patriarchate was and always is based upon the
centuries-old tradition of the Church, inspired by the Gospel,
respectful of the holy canons and free of any political and diplomatic
pressure. Indeed, this must be made clear in light of accusations and
misinformation circulating on the Internet and used against the
legitimacy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
By the act of Ecumenical Patriarch Dionysios IV in 1686, only
the permission to ordain the legally elected Metropolitan of Kiev
was granted to the Patriarch of Moscow, with the provision that
the Metropolitan would commemorate first the canonical name of
the Ecumenical Patriarch, followed by the name of the Patriarch
of Moscow. The uncanonical annexation of the Metropolis of Kiev by the
Patriarchate of Moscow is also clearly mentioned in the Tomos
of Autocephaly of the Church of Poland (1924). The
Ecumenical Patriarchate, 238 years later, did not cease reminding people
of the abnormal occupation of the Metropolis of Kiev by the Russian
Church. It is obvious, therefore, that there is no intervention by
the Ecumenical Patriarchate into foreign territory, as Ukraine
remains under its own jurisdiction.
The issue in Ukraine was timely. That is, the Ecumenical
Patriarchate did not suddenly decide to intervene. There was a schism
that needed to be resolved. It was our responsibility to find a solution
according to the tradition of the Church. All Tomoi of Autocephaly
granted to newly-created Autocephalous Churches, such as Russia,
Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Poland, Albania, and the
Czech Lands and Slovakia, have been granted by the
Ecumenical Patriarchate without consultation or discussion at the
Pan-Orthodox level. The granting of Autocephaly to the Orthodox Church
in Ukraine followed the same process whereby ecclesiastical independence
was granted to all of the newly-created Churches.
As we have maintained, there are no more schismatics in
Ukraine because they have been restored to communion with the One,
Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. The Ecumenical Patriarchate,
faithful to the canonical tradition of the Orthodox Church, used this
right to restore the grace of unity based on Saint Paul’s expression:
“one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.”
(Galatians 3:26) As for Filaret, he was restored to his episcopal
dignity as former Metropolitan of Kiev. The so-called “Patriarchate of
Kiev” does not exist and never existed. We also profess, now that
Autocephaly has been granted, that it is the responsibility of the
Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, His Eminence Metropolitan
Epiphanios, to lead this historic church, strengthening the unity of the
Ukrainian people, inspiring Christian values based on the Gospel, and
making the gift of freedom a means to spread the Good News of the
New Testament.
Ladies and Gentlemen, dear friends,
The granting of Autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of
Ukraine should be seen globally, beyond personalities, beyond
national interests, as a spiritual remedy to a spiritual wound. Today,
the whole Orthodox people of Ukraine are in good canonical standing,
the precondition for unity and sharing of the common Cup. Now, if
some do not accept this, they must ask themselves who precisely is
breaking unity.
Once again, we welcome you to the Ecumenical Patriarchate in
the historic city of Constantinople, today Istanbul, praying our risen
Lord will continue to bless you and the very pious Orthodox people
of Ukraine for the glory of His Holy name.
