Constantinople patriarchate confirms it will grant autocephaly to Ukrainian Orthodox Church

In response to the Ukrainian government’s request for
canonical recognition, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople is aiming
to reach a decision that will unify Ukraine’s Orthodox Christians under an
autocephalous church, the press service of Ukrainian President Poroshenko
reported on July 27, citing a letter read by the Patriarch Bartholomew’s
representative at a meeting that day in the Presidential Administration in
Kyiv. The Constantinople patriarchate “has taken the initiative to renew the
unity of the Orthodox believers of Ukraine with the final goal of granting the
Ukrainian church autocephaly,” the letter said.

In response, President Poroshenko thanked the
Ecumenical Patriarchate for its position. “For the majority of Ukrainians, His
Holiness’s words on Ukraine not being the canonical territory of the Russian
Orthodox Church are very important,” the president said. “That the transfer in
the 17th century under Russian control occurred illegally. In this way, His
Holiness believes, as we do, that our mother church is the Constantinople
patriarchate.” Ukraine still awaits the church’s decision to grant a tomos, or
official recognition of autocephaly, the president said.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate’s delegation was in Kyiv
to commemorate the 1030-year anniversary of the baptism of Kyiv-Rus. More than
a hundred thousand of Orthodox Christian faithful participated in separate
liturgical ceremonies held by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kyiv Patriarchate
and Ukrainian Orthodox Church Moscow Patriarchate. Recall in April, Ukraine’s
president and parliament submitted a request to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of
the Orthodox Christian Church to grant canonical status to Ukraine’s church,
which is the world’s largest unrecognized Orthodox church.

Zenon Zawada: This
announcement of granting of autocephaly will have enormous implications for
Russian-Ukrainian relations, further solidifying Ukrainian independence from
Russia. The biggest challenge for the Ukrainian government will be to minimize
the political tensions and possibilities for violence that will emerge once
canonical status is achieved, which we see as very likely after this statement.
Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kyiv Patriarch Filaret has already begun to claim
ownership of the holiest Orthodox Christian sites on Ukrainian territory, which
has triggered warnings of bloodshed from Moscow
Patriarchate faithful.

Claims on church properties, which will also extend to
hundreds of churches throughout Ukraine, can be resolved peacefully if properly
handled by political and religious authorities. But in the absence of
leadership, these claims can spiral dangerously into violent conflict that can
be exploited by the Russian government to justify further intervention in
Ukraine (to protect Moscow Patriarchate Orthodox faithful from alleged violence
or persecution). We see a high potential for violence and destabilization if
the Kyiv Patriarchate attempts to take control of the ancient Caves Monastery
in the capital city.