Former Presidents Leonid Kravchuk and Viktor Yushchenko discussed Ukrainian church crisis with the Patriarch of Constantinople
Ex-presidents of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk and Viktor Yushchenko paid a visit to the Patriarchate of Constantinopleon August 17, 2015. They discussed the situation in Ukraine with Patriarch Bartholomew, reportsReligion in Ukraine citing Sedmytsa.ru.
Ukrainian delegation was met with honor and by Metropolitan Stefan of Kallipolis and Madytos, who is a protosyncellus, along with clergymen of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, according to Romfeya news agency.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew received former top officials of Ukraine in his office, where in warm atmospherethey spent two hours discussing the issues of current political situation in Ukraine and ecclesiastical crisis.
The meeting was attended by hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate - Metropolitan Stephanof Tallinn and All Estonia, Metropolitan Emmanuel of France and Archimandrite Bartholomew (Samaras), archigrammateus of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Reportedly, the guests informed Patriarch Bartholomew about events in the country, saying that “they see the mediation of the Mother Church and the assistance of His Holiness as a canonical way of resolving the deep schism in Ukraine that will be an invaluable contribution to the restoration of national integrity of the pious Ukrainian people.”
In response, the Primate of the Church of Constantinople reminded of his visit to Ukraine in July 2008 when he took part in the celebration of1020th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus along with other Primates of Orthodox Churches. Patriarch Bartholomew assured Kravchuk and Yushchenko that "within the coordinator’s responsibility for the Orthodox matters the prayer support of the Mother Church for world peace and for reconciliation in Ukraine remains intense and persistent.”
The former presidents visited the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George the Trophy-Bearer.
