A delegation of the Patriarchate of Constantinople on a visit to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
23.04.2002 · English, Архив 2002
A DELEGATION OF THE PATRIARCHATE OF CONSTANTINOPLE ON A VISIT TO THE UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
As was already reported, delegations of the Patriarchates of Moscow and Constantinople met in the Crimea from April 18 to 20, 2002.
On the day after the meeting, Archbishop Vsevolod of Ckopelos, a member of the Constantinopolitan delegation, paid a visit to His Beatitude Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine in the Kiev Laura of the Caves and informed him of the results of the negotiations. He stated in particular, “The stand of the Ecumenical Patriarchate remains the same: the problem of schisms should be resolved only on the basis of canons of the Orthodox Church”. The guest also congratulated the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on the forthcoming 40th anniversary of his ordination and the 10th anniversary of his service at the see of Kiev. He also conveyed to the metropolitan personal greetings from His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomaios of Constantinople.
Another member of the Constantinopolitan delegation, Metropolitan Meliton of Philadelphia, General Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Church of Constantinople, used his time after the meeting to get better acquainted with the life of the Simpferopol diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. He gave a high appraisal to the social service launched by the diocese and the rapid growth in the number of parishes from 13 to 400 for the last ten years. He was also informed about the state of the church schism in Ukraine and noted that schismatic groups did not enjoyed support from the population in the Crimea. He reaffirmed the position of the Church of Constantinople that a schism can be overcome only in the spirit of the canonic tradition of the Orthodox Church, and the necessary condition for healing it is repentance by schismatics.
On Sunday, April 12, Metropolitan Meliton celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Bakhchisarai Monastery of the Dormition, at the invitation of Metropolitan Lazar of Simferopol and Crimea.
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