Metropolitan George of Kitrus: One Church with participation of heterodox is impossible

A Local Church in Ukraine based on the UOC KP, UAOC, and UGCC centered in Kiev is impossible. A path to the unity of Orthodox Church is a return of all schismatic groups into the fold of the canonical Orthodox Church. It was declared by Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church, Metropolitan George of Kitrus, Katherine and Platamon, who arrived in Ukraine on the eve of the celebrations on the occasion of the Day of Baptism of Rus, writes the Information and Education Department of the UOC.

"Uniates, as non-Orthodox denominations, cannot participate in the dialogue between Orthodox Churches. However, the participation in this process of Uniates is possible provided they move to Orthodoxy," said Vladyka.

The hierarch stressed that the Church condemns the joint prayer activities of representatives of different faiths: "There is a general rule – joint prayers with the heterodox contradict canons of the Orthodox Church, moreover, when schismatic religious groups are created to achieve some political goals."

He explained that the dialogue of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with the Kyiv Patriarchate is possible in the event of an end to the violation of the rights of the UOC believers, as well as the return of temples having been illegally seized in recent years. "The temples of the Church must be returned. Since they were taken by force, a dialogue in the situation at hand is impossible," he said.