The European Congress of Ukrainians (ECU) has appealed to Patriarch Bartholomew to establish a special church structure that would take care of Ukrainian Orthodox believers in European countries and maintain an inseparable connection with the Ecumenical Throne and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
As reported by Ukrinform, this was announced on Facebook by Pavlo Sadoha, Vice President of the World Congress of Ukrainians in Western Europe and Head of the Ukrainian Community in Portugal.
The corresponding letter was handed directly to the Patriarch of the Ecumenical (Constantinople) Patriarchate during his visit to Spain and prior to the service with the Orthodox Ukrainians in Madrid.
"In this structure, the type of which you, we believe, will define best, we would like to feel a living connection with Constantinople and Kyiv, carefully preserving and developing our faith, good deeds, love for God, and our homeland - Ukraine. We believe and know that you, Your Holiness, are a faithful and steadfast friend of Ukraine, along with our Primate, His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kyiv and all Ukraine Epiphanius, will find the best solution to this issue," the appeal reads.
Mr. Sadoha added that in his address to Ukrainians, Patriarch Bartholomew announced that he plans to visit Kyiv next year and intends to propose to Pope Francis a joint meeting in Ukraine.
Recall that during his visit to Estonia (September 12-20), dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church's receipt of the Tomos, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew spoke with Ukrainian believers and wished them victory in the struggle for freedom.
Source: ukrinform.ua
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