Met. Anthony (Pakanich) meets with Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem
At a meeting with the Primate of the Jerusalem Church, representatives of the UOC discussed the situation that has recently developed in Ukrainian and world Orthodoxy.
On January 30, 2019, with the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine, the UOC Chancellor Metropolitan Anthony of Borispol and Brovary, accompanied by the Deputy Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the UOC Protopriest Nikolai Danilevich, met with the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III.
According to the UOC Information and Education Department, Patriarch Theophilos assured representatives of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church in his prayers for the unity of Ukrainian and world Orthodoxy, noting that in this crisis period, special Christian wisdom, patience and humility are required.
Also, the head of the Jerusalem Church warmly spoke of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry, calling him "a special hierarch and a deeply spiritual man".
At the end of the meeting, the UOC representatives venerated the Holy Sepulcher and other shrines of the Holy City.
We recall that January 21, 2019, the meeting of President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko with the Jerusalem Patriarch Theophilos III did not take place. Later, the press service of the President said that Poroshenko invited Patriarch Theophilos III to visit Ukraine to "establish a dialogue with the Local Church".
On January 22, Patriarch Theophilos received pilgrims of the UOC in his residence and handed over his primatial blessing to the faithful children of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The Jerusalem Church is reported to be under serious pressure to accept the schismatics from the OCU and concelebrate with them.
