Patriarch Filaret personally congratulated the President on the decision of the Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on Autocephaly of the Ukrainian Church

Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kyiv Patriarchate), Patriarch of Kyiv and All Rus’-Ukraine Filaret personally congratulated President Petro Poroshenko on the decision of the Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. "I congratulate you on the first victory," Patriarch Filaret said during the meeting. Official website of the President of Ukraine  reports.

"I want to thank you personally, because due to your perseverance, your wisdom, we have achieved this. Because the previous Presidents also worked, but did not achieve that. And you have achieved this common goal," Filaret emphasized.

"I believe that there are some very important dates in the history of Ukraine. This is the date of the referendum in 1990 when independence was chosen by the will of the Ukrainian people. This is the date of August 24, when the Ukrainian state was revived. I think that the date of October 11 is very important and will enter the history of Ukraine forever. The date when the Ukrainian church returned its autocephaly," Petro Poroshenko said.

He added that he would be glad when every Ukrainian understands the greatness of today's event.

Petro Poroshenko also emphasizes that the explanation of his active participation in the process of obtaining autocephaly of the Ukrainian Church is an understanding that this is an extremely important part of the process of state building. "Ukrainian independence without the existence of the autocephalous church, when the church is the fifth column of a neighboring state, is not complete independence. This is the remnant of colonial status. And only the fact that Ukraine today, just today, on October 11, received autocephaly means the completion of the formation of the independence of a very large state of Ukraine. The largest state in Europe," the President stressed.

"I congratulate you on today's event. Today is really a very happy day for all believers, for all Christians, for all Orthodox and for all Ukrainians. The Lord has heard our prayers," the President said.

In turn, Patriarch Filaret once again congratulated the President and the Ukrainian people on this important date for Ukraine - the adoption of a decision on autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. "This is an epoch-making decision," he said.

At the same time, the Primate of the UOC noted that it would be necessary to take appropriate steps. "I think that we will achieve more - we will create the Autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church. But let's create it on a free basis, without violence and without any pressure, voluntarily," he stressed.