LAST UPDATED 13:44
By Efi Efthimiou
There was a sense of disappointment during the session of the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate regarding the progress of the so-called “Ukrainian” issue.
According to well-informed sources of orthodoxtimes.com, on the second day of the Holy and Sacred Synod session, a 50-page report was presented by the three-member delegation that visited Ukraine in August.
The atmosphere during the ensuing discussion was tense, as the Synodal Hierarchs seemed to conclude from the report that the delegation’s visit did not yield any positively assessable results.
In particular, it was noted that there seemed to be no prospect for dialogue between the two sides in Ukraine, as both Metropolitan Epifaniy and Metropolitan Onufriy seemed unwilling to budge from their respective positions in order to find common ground.
Indicative of the prevailing atmosphere was the fact that some hierarchs even raised the possibility of convening a new unifying council. Meanwhile, some Synodal Hierarchs expressed doubt that the choice of Metropolitan Epifaniy as head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine was ultimately the right one.
During the session, the view of Metropolitan Sawa of Warsaw was also heard, who suggested that a new leader should be found for the Autocephalous Church of Ukraine.
Additionally, during the same session, a letter sent by Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv to the Synod was read. According to orthodoxtimes.com, Metropolitan Epifaniy in his letter criticized the Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Kyiv, Bishop Michael of Comana.
He also spoke disparagingly about the three-member delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate that visited Kyiv, as well as their actions and the outcome of the visit by the three envoys of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
As if that were not enough, the Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Kyiv, Bishop Michael of Comana, also sent a letter in which he presented his perspective on the current situation within the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, making negative comments about Metropolitan Epifaniy.
In response, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew informed the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of his recent trip to Australia.
According to orthodoxtimes.com, Patriarch Bartholomew spoke warmly about his stay in Australia and praised Archbishop Makarios of Australia, expressing his “pride” in how much Archbishop Makarios has accomplished in five years and how he has organized the Church.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
