Exarchs Daniel, Ilarion arrive for Synod meeting

"It will be all right. With God's help. I think so," Exarch Daniel said, when asked by an Ukrinform correspondent about the prospects of today's meeting of the Synod, which is to hear a report by the exarchs following their visit to Ukraine.

Exarch Daniel told reporters about his impression of a trip to Ukraine.

"I was glad to see representatives of the religious and secular authorities of Ukraine. Impressions of the trip are good," he said.

When asked whether the people are ready for a church union, the exarch said that "Ukraine was ready to consider the issue of a church union for 27 years, if not longer."

Having ignored a provocative question from Russian TV channels about the possible escalation of the situation in Ukraine after it gets a tomos of autocephaly, he blessed all journalists and wished everyone a good day.

The issue of granting autocephaly to Ukraine will be discussed after the report by the exarchs.

Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada on April 19 endorsed President Petro Poroshenko's address to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on the provision of a tomos of autocephaly to Ukraine. This idea was also supported by the leadership of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC).

As part of preparations for the granting of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, the Ecumenical Patriarchate appointed Archbishop Daniel of Pamphilon from the United States and Bishop Ilarion of Edmonton from Canada as its exarchs in Kyiv. They stayed in the Ukrainian capital until October 5.

It is expected that on October 9-11 the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate will consider a report by the exarchs and make a decision on granting a tomos to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine.

op