Before the provision of the tomos, Ukraine belonged to the Ecumenical Patriarch and was temporarily transferred to the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church. And the ROC did not adhere to the rules. Epiphanius stated this in an interview with Radio Svoboda.

According to the head of the OCU, the visit of Patriarch Bartholomew to Ukraine will take place “at the invitation of not only the president, but also the OCU. Because this is the canonical territory of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, according to the tomos. And so we invite His Holiness, the head of our mother church.

For, according to canon law, this territory, prior to the granting of the tomos, belonged to the Ecumenical Patriarch and was temporarily transferred to the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church. And the ROC did not follow the rules, it completely ignored everything that was once adopted. Therefore, the Ecumenical Patriarch had the right to restore his canonical status on the territory of Ukraine.”