The Ecumenical Patriarch Visits Ukraine

Under normal circumstances the visit of the Ecumenical Patriarch to Ukraine would be a wonderful thing. Over a thousand years ago, Kiev which was the center of Russia was converted to Christianity by the Great Church of Constantinople. Circumstances are not normal however and so the visit of Patriarch Bartholomew to Ukraine is one of controversy rather than a display of Orthodox unity.

Patriarch Bartholomew was invited to visit Ukraine on the thirtieth anniversary of that country’s independence by President Vladimir Zelensky. The Patriarch met with the fake bishop Epithany Dimenko and the false bishops and clerics. The Patriarch completely avoided the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church and its legitimate synod and faithful.

An organized group of laypeople who are part of the legitimate Church sent a “tomos” of their own to Patriarch Bartholomew. This “tomos” is a response to the artificial “tomos” that Patriarch Bartholomew granted to the fake church in Ukraine in 2018. The faithful of the suffering Ukrainian Church wrote in their tomos that they have a love for the Church of Constantinople and the Greeks from whom they received the Christian faith over one thousand years ago.

It is a moving letter that acknowledges past Patriarchs of Constantinople who were solid in the faith. The contents of the tomos include references to the current persecution that the canonical Church is enduring. The faithful of Ukraine also declare that were Patriarch Bartholomew to repent, that they would once again accept the Patriarch of Constantinople as “first among equals” in Orthodoxy.

Ukrainian faithful came out in huge crowds to express support for the canonical Metropolitan Onuphry and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Many of them wished to see Patriarch Bartholomew to tell him of the suffering they have been enduring because of the persecution directed against them by the fake church under the fake bishops. To his discredit, Patriarch Bartholomew completely avoided them.

With the passing of time, Constantinople’s position in Orthodoxy will continue to decline. Sooner or later, the Orthodox Churches will declare anathemas against the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Perhaps against the Patriarchate of Alexandria and the Church of Greece as well.

Pious Orthodox Christians do not want this. Patriarch Bartholomew on the other hand is completely indifferent to the destruction and chaos he has caused. The time is coming when the Patriarch will have to make a choice. Either repent or be excommunicated from the Orthodox Church.