Filaret: We need to receive Tomos before presidential elections
The change of power in Ukraine may "shelve" the Thomas issue, said the head of the UOC KP.
The Tomos on autocephaly must be obtained before the presidential elections in Ukraine, said the head of the Kiev Patriarchate Filaret in his lecture at the Atlantic Council (Washington, USA) on September 19.
"We want this to happen this year (receiving the Tomos – Ed.)," said the head of the UOC KP. "Why this year? Because Moscow expects that next year, after the election of the President of Ukraine, a pro-Russian president who will not be interested in creating a single autocephalous Church can come, and then the Tomos issue will be shelved."
In this regard, Filaret asks the United States to help resolve this issue.
"We know that the US government adheres to the principle of freedom and non-interference in church affairs. <...> The fact is that this is not about freedom of internal church life, but about general political and universal human values, and the Church plays an important role in these matters," Filaret said.
He also called on the US to help see the Ukrainian church issue through.
During his visit to the United States of America, Filaret attended the Ukrainian Embassy, where a solemn reception of the "patriarchal" delegation and a meeting with the leaders of the Ukrainian community of Washington were organized. Also, Filaret met with former Vice President of the United States Joe Biden, whom he awarded with the Order of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir the Great, II Degree.
