MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st December, 2018) The canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) on Thursday asked Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to veto a bill that would require it to change its official name.
The Ukrainian parliament passed the bill earlier in the day. If signed by Poroshenko, the bill will enter into force after its official publication.
"We consider this bill unconstitutional and are determined to defend our rights by all legal means available. We appeal to the president of Ukraine asking him to veto this bill," a statement published on the UOC-MP judicial department's website read.
Ukraine's canonical Orthodox Church believes that forcing the church to change its name means meddling in its activities, which can have unforeseen consequences.
On December 15, a "unification council" was held in Kiev, at which Epiphany Dumenko was elected head of the "autocephalous church." According to Ukrainian media, only two bishops of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) participated in the council. The Ukrainian authorities expect to get tomos of autocephaly from Constantinople in early January.
The Moscow Patriarchate described the situation as the "legalization of schism," stressing that it would have catastrophic consequences and affect millions of Christians in Ukraine and other countries.
