The Ukrainian Orthodox Church won’t hold the joint worship with the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, since it is a “non-canonical religious organization”, Head of the Synodal Information and Education Department of the UOC Archbishop Kliment claimed this in the commentary to TASS.
‘We won’t hold divine services with the “new” church. If we had such services, then we would be the same schismatics as they are, and then the local church would not recognize us,’ he said.
Yesterday, January 5, the ceremony of signing the Tomos of autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine took place in Istanbul.
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko took part in the ceremony of the Tomos delivery and the divine liturgy said by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople and the primate of the OCU.
The festive service took place in St. George's Cathedral in Istanbul. This Orthodox cathedral in the Phanar district of Istanbul has been the residence of the Patriarch of Constantinople since 1601.
On January 7, the Christmas day, a divine liturgy will take place at Saint Sophia's Cathedral, where Tomos will be demonstrated on the granting of autocephaly to the newly established Orthodox Church of Ukraine.