Patriarchate of Alexandria Officially Recognizes Ukraine Autocephaly

On Friday, November 8, 2019, the Patriarchate of Alexandria officially recognized the Autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine. During the Divine Liturgy in the Church of the Archangels in the Dahir district of Cairo, His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria commemorated His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine in the diptychs. The official announcement of Patriarchate of Alexandria states:

In the past month, we took note of the willingness of the holy brother hierarchs to recognize the Tomos of Autocephaly granted by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch to the Autocephalous Church of Ukraine.

As it is well known, our Holy Catholic Orthodox Church is governed under the synodical system, as inherited by the Tradition and the Holy Ecumenical Councils. To this end, the Primates of the local ecclesial synods are one of their members.

Consequently, we, as a constituent and effective principle of the willingness of the holy brother Hierarchs, commemorated and included in the diptychs of the Catholic Orthodox Church, the Primate of Autocephalous Church of Ukraine, His Beatitude Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine, while wholeheartedly praying for peace and stability of our Orthodox Churches”.

The Patriarchate of Alexandria is the second Autocephalous Orthodox Church to recognize the Autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The Autocephalous Church of Greece extended this recognition on October 12, 2019. The recognition of the Patriarchate of Alexandria of the Autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine is particularly significant, as the Patriarchate of Alexandria is commemorated second after the Ecumenical Patriarchate in diptychs.