HOLY AND GREAT COUNCIL DOCUMENT

Draft Synodical Document

Κυριακή 16 Αυγούστου 2020

METROPOLITAN EPIFANIY URGES BELARUSIANS TO CREATE THE CHURCH INDEPENDENT OF MOSCOW

 
The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epifaniy, supported the protests in Belarus and called on the Belarusian people to “protect the democratic and independent future of their country”.
The head of the OCU outlined its message with the symbol of the protests-a white-red-white flag. Metropolitan Epifaniy also spoke to them in Belarusian.
“As the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, we cannot remain indifferent and not feel compassion when the future of the Belarusian people, the independence of the state, the freedom and security of citizens, their lives are under threat,” Epifaniy wrote on Facebook.
He wished the Belarusian people “to protect their dignity and freedom, the democratic and independent future of their country”.
Metropolitan Epifaniy called on the Belarusian authorities to immediately stop the violence and release thousands of 'innocently detained' people.

The Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which received the Tomos of autocephaly in 2019, called on Belarusians to strive to create their own Autocephalous Orthodox Church.