After 300 years we restore the Ukrainian Local Church, – President
Petro Poroshenko said that the Ukrainian Church had previously had an autocephalous status, and now, 300 years later, the process of its re-creation is taking place.
The head of state specified that he is restoring the Ukrainian Local Orthodox Church after 300 years because this is one of the main attributes of an independent state. He stated this on the air of the Zhitomir TV channel SK1, reports the press service of the President of Ukraine.
"Six months ago no one believed that we would get so close to the Tomos in such a short time. Ukraine is returning to its Mother Church – the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople," Petro Poroshenko said.
He added: "We do not turn one of the Churches into the Ukrainian Local (Church – Ed.). We create, or rather restore, 300 years later, the Ukrainian Local Orthodox Church, because this is one of the main attributes of an independent state". He explained that it fully corresponds to the Orthodox canons.
The Orthodox Church was formed on the territory of modern Ukraine in 988 as a result of the baptism of Rus by St. Prince Vladimir and the Kiev Metropolis was part of the Patriarchate of Constantinople for a long time. Gradually, due to historical circumstances, the See of the Kiev Metropolis was moved to the city of Vladimir, and later to the new capital – Moscow. In 1448 the Church in Moscow separated from the then Uniate Constantinople and later became the Moscow Patriarchate.
In 1458, the Patriarchate of Constantinople formed a new Kiev Metropolis with its centre in Kiev. It was also an integral part of the Universal Church. In 1686, this Kiev Metropolis was transferred to Moscow by Phanar and integrated into the Moscow Patriarchate.
Thus, the Kiev Metropolis has never been among the autocephalous Local Churches.
Since 1990, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has been completely autonomous as part of the Russian Orthodox Church.
