KIEV: November 13, 2018
Ukrainian Orthodox Church adopts a statement on a proposed meeting with Poroshenko

By an initiative of President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine, a meeting was planned with the episcopate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the National Center of Business and Culture Ukrainskiy dom.

With the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onouphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, the episcopacy of the UOC gathered in Kiev-Pechersk Lavra on the established date, November 13, 2018. An extraordinary session of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) was held, which decided to immediately convene a Council of Bishops of the UOC.

Having deliberated on the status of Church-state relations and public statements by government leaders which can be deemed as being against the UOC, and taking into account the attitudes and thoughts of the people of the Church, and also based on the fact that ecclesiastical matters must be discussed on Church premises, the Council of Bishops made the decision to meet with the President, but not in the Ukrainskiy dom but in Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. This decision was immediately reported to the President. However, he declined to attend.

Taking into account these circumstances, the Council of Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church confirms its consent to meet with the Ukrainian President, but only on Church premises.