Elpidophoros Accused Epiphanios Of Violating the Norms of the Tomos

At the meeting of the Synod of the Archdiocese of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in the USA held on April 10, 2025, its head, Archbishop Elpidophoros, accused Epiphanius Doumenko of violating the norms of the Tomos. Ekirikas writes about this , citing its sources.

According to the publication, the archbishop said during the Synod meeting that Epiphanius, while in the United States in February 2025, “was not in the mood for cooperation” and refused to serve with him, preferring a small Ukrainian community subordinate to Ukrainian hierarchs Daniel and Anthony.

“When Archbishop Elpidophoros asked why they were creating communities and parallel jurisdictions when this was prohibited by the Tomos on Autocephaly, Metropolitan Epiphanius replied that he could not control his bishops there,” an American resource quoted Elpidophoros as saying.

The head of the Archbishopric of Elpidophoros, who was talking about which Epiphany parish, did not specify.

As a reminder , the Vicariate of the OCU in the USA and Canada sent an official appeal signed by Secretary Viktor Polyarny to Epiphany Dumenko and members of the Synod with a call to determine the official status of Ukrainian parishes abroad.

“We are like exiles, like orphans forgotten in times of joy. When others celebrate and rejoice, we mourn and cry, because for all our years of work and service we have become rejected,” the diaspora complain.

Pointing to the provisions of the Tomos of the OCU, according to which all foreign parishes are transferred to the Phanar, the vicariate writes that “right now our Mother Church must extend a helping hand to her children scattered throughout the world and do everything possible for their comprehensive spiritual and moral support.”