STILL NO BASES FOR AFFIRMING THAT U.P.Ts.M.P. CEASED TO BE CONSTITUENT PART OF R.P.Ts.—P.Ts.U. SYNOD
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (PTsU) welcomes and supports all efforts aimed at eliminating the power of the Moscow patriarchate over the church in Ukraine as uncanonical, imposed, and harmful for Ukrainian Orthodoxy.
This is said in a statement by the Holy Synod of the PTsU regarding the results of the recent events in the jurisdiction of the Moscow patriarchate in Ukraine (UPTsMP).
The PTsU notes that on the basis of publicly available documents it is impossible to affirm that the UPTsMP has ceased to be a constituent part of the Russian Orthodox Church (RPTs).
At the same time, the PTsU Synod expresses joy because of its agreement with the UPTsMP side concerning the necessity to start a dialogue between the two Orthodox jurisdictions in Ukraine.
"On our part, we again testify that such a dialogue must begin without prior conditions or ultimatums. We expect concrete suggestions by the other side relative to first steps in dialogue and the appointment of persons responsible for conducting a dialogue," the document says.
"We express regret regarding the decision of the 27 May meeting to confirm all prior decisions whereby, following the actions of the Moscow patriarchate, the jurisdiction of the UPTs (the Moscow patriarchate in Ukraine) broke fellowship with the ecumenical patriarchate, the Alexandria patriarchate, the church of Cyprus, and the church of Greece. This action, like also the form of commemoration of primates during the liturgy that was chosen last Sunday by Metropolitan Onufry was a de facto confirmation of the dependence upon the decisions and the position of the Moscow patriarchate," the PTsU notes.
The hierarchs of the PTsU also are "disappointed" that the Council of the UPTsMP did not find appropriate words for condemning the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the position of Russian Patriarch Kirill.
"The expressions in the text of the resolution are too brief and mild in comparison with the tragedy that our people is experiencing. Also there does not resound a word of condemnation and dissociation from the ideology of the 'Russian World,' the heretical, ethnophyletistic teaching and cornerstone in the justification of Russia's war against Ukraine," the authors of the statement note. (tr. by PDS, posted 31 May 2022)
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