Russian Orthodox Church responds to President Poroshenko’s appeal on creation of the One Local Orthodox Church in Ukraine.

On April 17, at a meeting with journalists, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokalamsk, chairman of DECR of the Russian Orthodox Church, commented the words of Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko that he had decided to ask the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to grant thee Tomos of autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and that such a decision was supported by the UOC-KP and the UAOC.

“We do not have reliable information about the conversation between Petro Poroshenko and Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople,” said Metropolitan Hilarion, emphasizing at the same time that Patriarch Bartholomew reiterated that Metropolitan Onufriy, head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, was considered the only canonical head of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine.”

According to the Metropolitan of the Russian Orthodox Church, this position cannot be changed. At the same time, he noted that “we have been praying for a quarter of a century to overcome the split in Ukraine and have responded positively to the letter of Filaret Denisenko calling for this.” A special commission was set up to deal with these issues, and although there was no further movement, “we are open to dialogue,” said Metropolitan Hilarion.

This is reported by UNIAN citing "Blagovest-info".