The former president of Ukraine and leader of the ‘European Solidarity’ party Petro Poroshenko commented on the news that the Orthodox Church of Ukraine will hold Christmas service in Kyiv Pechersk monastery.

The news that Metropolitan Epiphanius, the head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, will hold Christmas service in the monastery came yesterday. Earlier, Kyiv Pechersk Lavra housed the Orthodox church of Moscow patriarchy.

Poroshenko also mentioned that soon it will be the anniversary of the presentation of the Tomos on the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and told how it happened.

On December 15, 2018, the Unification Council of Ukrainian Orthodox Churches was held in Kyiv. The participants of the council approved the statute and elected the head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine – Metropolitan Epiphanius.

On January 5, 2019, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople signed the Tomos on the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in Istanbul after a joint liturgy service with Metropolitan Epiphanius. Petro Poroshenko also took part in the ceremony.

On January 6, 2019, the Tomos was officially handed over to Metropolitan Epiphanius.