Poroshenko asks Patriarch Bartholomew to provide Ukrainian Orthodox Church with a tomos for autocephaly.
Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, has adopted a resolution in support of the appeal by President Petro Poroshenko to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I to recognize the independence of Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).
A total of 268 MPs of 334 registered in the session hall voted for draft resolution No. 8284, an UNIAN correspondent reports.
In the appeal, Poroshenko asks Patriarch Bartholomew to provide Ukrainian Orthodox Church with a tomos for autocephaly.
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According to Poroshenko, the document will strengthen religious freedoms and interfaith peace in Ukraine, rights and freedoms of citizens.
It is also stressed that such a document "will raise the respect and authority of the Ecumenical Patriarch among Ukrainians to new heights."
Poroshenko notes that Patriarch Bartholomew is the only person in the world who has canonical rights and legal authority to resolve such issues.
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The president of Ukraine expressed hope and belief that Patriarch Bartholomew would not refuse "the blessing and long-awaited benefit to your spiritual children, Ukrainians loyal to our mother church."
The decision comes into force from the date of its adoption.
As UNIAN reported earlier, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko on Tuesday, April 17, announced the start of the procedure for the creation of a unified Ukrainian Orthodox Church.