UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE USA

CONSISTORY OFFICE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

PRESS RELEASE 

Metropolitan Antony and Bishop Daniel Meet With the Ecumenical Patriarch

Following the recent Pre-Conciliar meeting of the Primates of the Orthodox Churches, which took place in Geneva a few weeks ago, much information began to appear on the Internet about discussions and decisions that took place during the gathering. The source of this information was the press office of the Patriarchate of Moscow.  Much of the information was extremely critical in reference to the hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Churches in the USA and Canada.  Most of that criticism was completely false as was the quoted response of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the criticism, which had been stated during the Geneva meeting.

Having read this information, Metropolitan Antony, along with Bishop Daniel, immediately requested an audience with His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew to discuss the conversations that took place in Geneva and to learn the truth about the situation. That meeting took place on the evening of Thursday, 18 February.  We were not surprised to hear a completely different interpretation of the Geneva discussions, along with His All-Holiness' unchanging commitment to and concern about his spiritual children in Ukraine, since the Patriarchate of Constantinople remains as the Mother Church of Ukraine.  We will be soon be preparing our own response to the false statements.

His All-Holiness invited Metropolitan Antony and Bishop Daniel to remain in Constantinople (modern Istanbul) through Sunday, 21 February, in order to celebrate Divine Liturgy for the Ukrainian community of the city and region at St. Nicholas Church, which has been given to the Ukrainian community for at least monthly services.