Church spokesman: Patriarch Kirill's visits strengthen the idea of independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Each visit by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia will only help strengthen the authority of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP), the leadership of the latter church believes, says KyivPost with the referense to Interfax-Ukraine.

"Each visit by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia increases the ranks of supporters of the independent Ukrainian orthodox church," head of information department and Secretary of the Holy Synod of UOC-KP Bishop Evstratiy (Zoria) said at a press conference on Friday, July 30.

"It is not true to say that Kyiv Patriarchate was panicking because of the patriarch's visit, that we were expecting any threats to ourselves. On the contrary, he can come every month, or even take up residence here. We would welcome this, because he would every day show the true face of the Moscow Patriarchate, we mean not the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate, but the patriarch's team," Evstratiy said.