Analysts predict rapprochement between OCU and UGCC amid meeting between Pope and Patriarch Bartholomew

The meeting between Pope Leo and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Istanbul sparked active discussions in expert circles about possible strategic changes in the Orthodox world. A key prediction was the hypothesis of further rapprochement between the Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Vatican, which, in turn, could directly affect the status of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU).

As political analyst Mykola Mitrokhin wrote on his Telegram channel, based on the reaction of mid-level representatives of the OCU, an assumption is being made about a possible scenario in which Patriarch Bartholomew may strengthen his interaction with the Pope. According to this hypothesis, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine may come under the joint spiritual and administrative patronage of Constantinople and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), while maintaining the format of «dual autonomy. «

Such a step is seen by some observers as a geopolitical move aimed at strengthening positions in the confrontation with the Moscow Patriarchate and its further «isolation.» However, according to the source, this scheme often does not take into account the direct and trusting relationship between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Vatican, as well as the possible reaction of other local Orthodox Churches to such rapprochement.

The publication also mentions that similar predictions about the eventual granting of Ukrainian autocephaly have been made before. As an example, the author cites the reaction and further actions of Filaret Denisenko in 2019, who, according to the author, realized the emerging trends.

Earlier, we reported that Pope Leo XIV and Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople held a joint ecumenical ceremony in Nicaea (modern Iznik, Turkey), dedicated to the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council. The event, which brought together the heads of various Christian denominations, became «a powerful symbol of unity, a reaffirmation of common faith, and a call for peace and dialogue in the modern world.»