Three branches of Ukrainian Orthodoxy founded the united Church. This became possible due to the unshakable position of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Church of Constantinople, which the Orthodox Christians consider the church mother and which, as the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko emphasized, “took advantage of its unconditional canonical right to heal the wounds, inflicted upon Ukrainian Orthodoxy by several centuries of Moscow domination”.
Muslims of Ukraine congratulated Christian compatriots on this historic event. The adherents of Islam emphasize this unification, followed by the granting of Tomos, marks the destruction and sending to the dustbin of history almost 300 years of religious dependence on Moscow.
- On behalf of the Muslims of Ukraine, I congratulate the Orthodox Christians on the establishment of the Ukrainian Local Orthodox Church, and Metropolitan Epiphanius on his election as the Primate of the Ukrainian Local Orthodox Church! - wrote Sheikh Said Ismagilov, the Mufti of the Religious Administration of Muslims of Ukraine “Ummah” on his page at the social network. - The Ukrainian nation has received one of the most powerful factor that is the local Orthodox Church which will ensure and protect the true independence of Ukraine. This day - December 15, 2018 - will go down in the History of Ukraine as the implementation day of the Ukrainians’ centuries-old dream to create a unified Orthodox Church, and as the final separation from the Russian Church influence. Everything that benefits the national interests of Ukraine, protects our freedom and independence, meets the aspirations of Ukrainians, and strengthens our common homeland, - is welcomed and supported by the Muslims of Ukraine.
Sheikh Said also expressed hope for the further deepening of inter-religious dialogue and fruitful cooperation between Christians and Muslims of Ukraine.
- The Supreme Lord in the Holy Quran says: “You will find the nearest of them in affection to the believers (Muslims) those who say, "We are Christians." That is because among them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant.”(5:82). Following these guidelines, we confirm the spiritual closeness of Christians and Muslims, our respect and readiness for the cooperation for a happy future of Ukraine!
People’s Deputy of Ukraine, Chairman of the Crimean Tatar People’s Mejlis, Refat Chubarov, stressed that giving Tomos of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s autocephaly is much broader than just religious issue:
“The Ukrainian nation has probably received one of the most powerful factors that will ensure and protect Ukraine’s true independence - this is the local Orthodox Church. The poisonous tentacles of Moscow, which had not been allowing the Ukrainian nation to freely develop for centuries, have finely been cut off ... Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Heroes!“ - Refat Chubarov wrote on his page at the social network.
