Fake news turns out to be the “interview” allegedly given by the Ecumenical Patriarch to the news website strana.ua.
The text of the alleged interview was published two days ago, and was reproduced by sections of the ecclesiastical press with controversial statements about both the Hagia Sophia and the granting of the Tomos of Autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate issued a statement that Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew never gave an interview to this or any other media.
In particular, the Ecumenical Patriarchate announced:
Regarding the publication of the news website CTPAHA.UA (strana.ua), on July 28, 2020, according to which Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, during his recent visit to Tenedos, reportedly gave an interview to an associate of the website, the Ecumenical Patriarchate states:
During his stay in Tenedos, the Ecumenical Patriarch gave no interview, nor did he respond in form of statement or short comments to questions of this or other media.
It is true that the said Ukrainian lady with her family, who introduced herself as a journalist, approached the Ecumenical Patriarch and asked for an interview, but the Ecumenical Patriarch politely refused.