DISINFO: The Orthodox Church of Ukraine pays contributions to the Ecumenical Patriarch
SUMMARY
After receiving Tomos of Autocephaly, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine was obliged to pay from $4,000 to $20,000 a month from each parish in favor of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, claims Patriarch Filaret.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation around the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine. Indeed, the Honorary Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the former Patriarch of Kyiv, Filaret, referred to this in his recent speech. However, the press service of the former Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate made a clarification a few days later. According to it, Filaret did not claim that the Ecumenical Patriarchate collects money from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine: “His Holiness Patriarch Filaret does not claim that the data that was published in the publication is true. He only referred to this publication. The responsibility to check the data contained in this publication lies exclusively with the journalists who published it,” the press service informs. Background information: The Tomos of Autocephaly does not contain any obligations to pay contributions to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Only the agreement between the Ecumenical Patriarch and Ukraine (signed by the former President Petro Poroshenko) identifies the rights of Constantinople in Ukraine. They are limited to establishing a representation in Ukraine. In accordance with the agreement, in October St. Andrew's Church, located in Kyiv, was handed over to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople for permanent use.