Head of OCU reiterates call for dialogue with UOC Primate

The head of the OCU, Epiphany Dumenko, once again called on the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy of Kyiv and All Ukraine, to start a dialogue. Dumenko made this statement in connection with the 6th anniversary of the creation of the OCU. Dumenko’s words are published by Espresso.

“According to the sign that the Lord Himself gives us, indicating that the tree is known by its fruits, the whole world sees that the Patriarchate of Moscow was deeply poisoned by the pseudo-religious teachings of the “Russian world”, the poisonous and deadly fruit of which was the current terrible war of Russia against Ukraine. The war is diabolical and ungodly, which the Patriarch of Moscow called sacred and blessed the Russian ruler and army for all the crimes they have committed and continue to commit on our land. Therefore, having already learned in a clear and unequivocal way that both the root and the fruit of the “Russian world” are evil, it should be clear to anyone who truly wishes to preserve the purity of Orthodoxy and who cares about the good of the Church that one should distance oneself from this evil and have no common cause with this darkness. Once again, I appeal to you, Bishop, and to all who are with you now, and ask you not to leave this appeal, this hand outstretched to you, without a constructive response,” — Dumenko said.

We will remind, the Synod of the OCU, held in Kyiv on November 7, 2024, expressed regret at the lack of reaction of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to the call of Epiphany Dumenko to start a dialogue “without preconditions”. The OCU, however, hopes that the UOC will agree to the requirements of the Tomos and join the organization.