UGCC Head: Our Patriarchate Exists, Though Not Yet Officially Recognized
His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC, addressed the issue of patriarchy in an interview with Hromadske TV. “We have a patriarchate, but it has not yet been recognized,” stated the Primate.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav with the metropolitans during the opening of the UGCC Synod of Bishops in Rome, September 3, 2023
“Patriarchate is a certain form of ecclesial life where a number of metropolitans, each with their own metropolitanates and structures, are led by the head of the Church. The one who ‘stands’ among the metropolitans is the patriarch,” explained His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
He noted that during the time of Patriarch Joseph, who first broached this topic, our Church had three metropolitanates without a single central authority, thus they were under the jurisdiction of the Apostolic See in Rome, due to Ukraine being under oppression.
However, today the UGCC has eight metropolitanates and a single legislative body, the Synod of Bishops. Therefore, we have a patriarchate.
The Primate acknowledged that 30 years is a very short period for establishing such a patriarchal structure. “We need to familiarize ourselves with the Apostolic See (Vatican) and the Orthodox world, not only in Ukraine but also abroad. This is how we have a functioning, developing, thriving patriarchate that is awaiting its universal recognition,” he said.
The question of who should recognize the patriarchate of the UGCC remains open. Some argue it should be the Ecumenical Council, while others believe it should be the Pope. “I think that the issue of recognition is a matter of time,” concluded His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
The UGCC Department for Information
