European Congress of Ukrainians turned to the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew with a request to establish a special church structure. It is about an organization that would take care of Orthodox Ukrainians in European countries and also have an inseparable connection with the Ecumenical See and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Pavlo Sadokha, UWC Vice-President and President of the Union of Ukrainians in Portugal, announced this.
“The letter in Ukrainian and Greek was delivered directly to Patriarch Bartholomew I before the Divine Service with Orthodox Ukrainians in Madrid,” Sadokha said.
The church structure would be called upon to maintain “a living connection with Constantinople and Kyiv”, as well as the development of faith, good deeds, love for God “and our Motherland-Ukraine”, the letter states.
“We believe and know that you, Your Holiness, are a faithful and steadfast friend of Ukraine, together with our Primate, His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv and All Ukraine, will find the best possible solution to this issue,” the appeal states.
In a speech to Ukrainians, Patriarch Bartholomew said that he will visit Kyiv next year and plans to invite Pope Francis to hold a joint meeting in Ukraine.
