Epiphany commemorates Patriarch Kirill by the will of the Mother Church
The OCU head commemorates the ROC primate, although he was “asked not to do this”. This also happened at his “enthronement”, in the presence of President and officials.
"Primate" Epiphany said in an interview with Sonia Koshkina on the Youtube-channel that he commemorates Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ during the service as it is prescribed by the Tomos and the Mother Church.
“Many ask me: “Why do you remember Patriarch Kirill in a diptych? You didn’t commemorate him after being elected head before receiving the Tomos.” Yes, I did not commemorate him, because we are in a state of war. But at the time when I could do it as a primate. Because before the Tomos, I had no legal prescriptions that I should mention Patriarch Kirill in the diptych, and therefore I did not do that,” explained the head of the independent Ukrainian Church.
He continued, “Can you imagine if I, on the second day, performing the Divine Service in Kiev, on the day of the Nativity of Christ, January 7, violated the Tomos norm? I did not do this, although there were many requests for me not to mention Patriarch Kirill in the diptych.”
“Metropolitan” Epiphany added that he commemorates the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, but “does not pray” for him: “We do not pray for Patriarch Kirill. We must commemorate him as one of the primates of the Local Orthodox Church. This is done by Patriarch Bartholomew, and the Mother Church is a model for us.”
As the UOJ reported, Epiphany Dumenko’s enthronement, which took place on February 3 at the St. Sofia Cathedral, was not attended by any hierarchs of the Local Churches except Constantinople. The Roman Catholics, the head of the UGCC and the Protestants were also present at the ceremony.
