Commenting on the commemoration of the head of the OCU Epiphanius Dumenko by the Metropolitan of Chalcedon Emmanuel of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in the presence of Metropolitan Cyprian of Starozagoria (BOC), the speaker of the OCU Evstratiy Zarya concluded that the BOC cannot but recognize the OCU. The “Conclusion” was commented on by Archpriest Nikolai Danilevich, Deputy Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the UOC.

“The Bulgarian Church, which hopes for such a decision and for the Tomos for the Ohrid Archdiocese, cannot but recognize the Tomos for the Orthodox Church of Ukraine,” Zorya wrote.

Commenting on Zarya’s statement, the UOC speaker writes: “This is an exaggeration, if not to tell a lie. First, there were no such official statements from the BOC. Secondly, the Bulgarians consider the Macedonian Church to be a historical part of the BOC, and the Macedonians are also Bulgarians.

It is believed that this is one people, only divided. Something similar to how some people look at Russia and Ukraine. Between modern Bulgarians and Macedonians – both between peoples and between states, there is a problem of identity,” wrote Archpriest Nikolai Danilevich.