The Synod of the Orthodox Church of America (OCA) refused to recognize the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine (PCU), expressing their commitment to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate , headed by Metropolitan Onufry. This is stated in the pastoral letter, which was signed by the Metropolitan of all America and Canada Tikhon and the members of the Holy Synod of bishops of the Orthodox Church in America.
The letter expresses «deep sorrow over the religious events in Ukraine and because of the break between the Moscow and Constantinople churches.»
«We urge our clergy and faithful to fervently pray about the restoration of the unity of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine and the resolution of all divisions in accordance with the canonical tradition of the Church,» the letter reads.
The Synod decided to recognize and support Metropolitan Onufry (Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate) as the canonical head of the Orthodox Christians in Ukraine and to prevent the recognition of the local PCU.
The decision of the Synod was signed by Tikhon, Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of all America and Canada, as well as the bishops of the OCA Detroit, Boston, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania, new York and new Jersey, Dallas, Alaska, Chicago and the Midwest.
Recall, 15 December 2018 was held in Kyiv unification Council, whose task was the creation of a national Ukrainian Orthodox Church. In the course of the Cathedral of the Primate of the United Orthodox Church of Ukraine elected Metropolitan Epiphanios.
5 January 2019 Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew signed the Tomos of autocephaly, and on 6 January, he was handed his Epiphany in Istanbul.
Note also that the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of America, given in 1970, is still not recognized by some of the Greek patriarchs.
