Ukrainian Orthodox Church gets 'autocephaly' status

By Emin Ileri

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukrainian president on Saturday received a document cementing the “autocephaly” status of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Ukraine’s Petro Poroshenko received the Tomos of Autocephaly (autonomy) of Ukraine’s church from the hands of Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew at the Greek Orthodox Church in Istanbul.

Leader of Orthodox Church of Ukraine Metropolitan Epiphany also attended the ceremony.

On Oct. 11, the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul greenlit the process for the Ukrainian church's independence, over Russia’s objections, and with Ukrainian-Russian geopolitical tensions in the background.

The Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church was created following the results of the Dec. 15 All-Ukrainian Orthodox Unity Council, where Epiphanius, the metropolitan of Pereiaslav and Bila Tserkva, was elected primate of the local Ukrainian Orthodox Church.