Petro Poroshenko congratulated the head of the schismatic “Kyiv Patriarchate” Mikhail Denisenko (“Filaret”) on his 20th anniversary in the self-appointed position of “patriarch” of the UOC-KP.
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About This says a message on Poroshenko’s website.
“I thank God that Ukraine is lucky to have such a patriarch. 20 years is almost as long as the independent Ukrainian state. Your prayer was always close to Ukraine so that the Lord would protect us, and in difficulties would help us consolidate, unite and face challenges together,” Poroshenko noted at the meeting, which took place at the residence of Mikhail Denisenko.
Poroshenko wished Filaret longevity, and Ukraine “to have such a patriarch for a long time.”
“Patriarch” Filaret thanked for the congratulations.
“I am grateful that we have such a president during Ukraine’s testing times. The Lord is testing Ukraine - whether it is worthy of having its own state or not. We received the state like manna from heaven, and now it falls to our lot to go through trials,” he noted.
“The Church cannot but be with its people,” said Mikhail Denisenko, thanking Poroshenko for supporting the creation of the so-called “single local Orthodox Church.”
“Thank you that the president understands that the church must be one, then it will protect,” noted the head of the schismatics.
Let us recall that Poroshenko positions himself as a parishioner of the UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate and patronizes the St. Jonas Monastery in Kyiv.
This does not prevent him from kissing schismatics, whom not a single Orthodox Church in the world recognizes.