Alexandrian Patriarchate Recognizes Orthodox Church of Ukraine

One of the world's oldest local churches has joined the recognition of the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

The Alexandrian Orthodox Church, whose canonical jurisdiction covers the entire African continent, has officially recognized the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

On Friday, November 8, Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa commemorated by name for the first time, during the divine liturgy at the Church of the Archangels in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv and All Ukraine as primate of the autocephalous Ukrainian church.

The OCU press service said that this is evidenced by a video recording of the patriarchal service, as well as an official statement later released by the main secretariat of the Alexandrian Patriarchate.

«In recent months we have seen the willingness / desire of our brother holy hierarchs to recognize the autocephaly of the Ukrainian church granted through the synodal tomos by the All-Holy Ecumenical Patriarch, — the statement says. — As a member and executive authority of the willingness / desire of our brother holy hierarchs, we have commemorated in the Diptychs of the Universal Orthodox Church the primate of the autocephalous Church of Kyiv and All Ukraine, the Most Blessed Metropolitan Epiphanius, while fervently praying for peace and the good state of our Orthodox churches».

The OCU said that it mutually prays for the entire Alexandrian Patriarchate.

Later, Archbishop Yevstratiy (Zorya) of Chernihiv and Nizhyn, deputy head of the External Church Relations Department of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, published a document from Alexandrian Patriarch Theodore that speaks of the recognition of the OCU.

«After everything we discussed with positive results, both personally with each of you, and after mature reflection and many prayers, invoking the inspiration of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, and caring for the unity of the Orthodox Church, we have decided to recognize the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and its primate, the Most Blessed Epiphanius, for the time has come», — the text of the document reads.

Thus, one of the oldest local churches, and the second after the Ecumenical Patriarchate in order of precedence in the diptychs, has joined the recognition of the OCU's autocephaly.

Earlier, on October 12, an extraordinary council of hierarchs of the Church of Greece decided to recognize the OCU, and at the end of October it became known that the Archbishop of Athens had sent a letter of peace to OCU primate Epiphanius.

After this, the Russian Orthodox Church stated that it will break eucharistic communion with the head of the Church of Greece, Archbishop Jerome II.