On Saturday, November 3, 2018, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and His Excellency President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine reaffirmed their desire to enhance the cooperation between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Nation—within the framework of the process for granting Autocephaly to the unified Orthodox Church in Ukraine—during the President’s visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s headquarters at the Phanar.
Following their private meeting in the Patriarchal Office, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and President Poroshenko signed a Bilateral Agreement on Cooperation and Coordination before their colleagues and numerous representatives of the mass media in the Chamber of the Throne.
His All-Holiness characterized the day as historic for the relations between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Ukraine, while underscoring that the signed Agreement “will expedite the granting of the Tomos recognizing the Autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine.”
President Poroshenko mentioned, among other things, that the Bilateral Agreement signed will assist the Ukrainian people on the way toward autocephaly, while also bringing an end to heresies and tensions, so that peace will once again prevail in Ukraine.
The private meeting was attended by Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, Archbishop Daniel of Pamphilon and Bishop Hilarion of Edmonton.
Afterwards, the Ecumenical Patriarch accompanied the President of Ukraine to the Patriarchal Church, where he paid his respects and was informed by the Grand Syngellos Amvrosios about the Church’s history and the sacred treasures preserved there.
Photo: president.gov.ua
