CHANCELLOR OF UPTsMP SPEAKS ABOUT TAKEOVERS OF BUILDINGS OF THIS CHURCH BY SCHISMATICS
The chancellor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow patriarchate (UPTsMP), Metropolitan of Borispol and Brovary Antony, stated that to date 14 parishes of UPTsMP have been seized by the so-called Kiev patriarchate (UPTsKP).
"To date, 14 UPTs parishes have been taken over, six parishes are under threat of capture, and only three parishes have changed jurisdiction voluntarily, in accordance with the Ukrainian law "On freedom of conscience and religious organizations." Actually, relative to the 12,000 UPTsMP parishes, this number is insignificant, but one is upset by the fact that church buildings are being seized, in violation of state laws," RIA Novosti quotes the bishop's words, referring to a report on the UPTsMP website.
Metropolitan Antony thinks that it is necessary to distinguish between the concepts "seizure" and "transfer." "Illegal takeover of a church building by means of violence and deceit cannot be called transfer. According to law, transfer occurs when a decision is made unanimously by members of a parish and not by residents of a village. Even if 10 UPTsMP believers do not want to change the jurisdiction of a parish, and the church is transmitted to UPTsKP, this cannot be called a transfer," the representative of the Kiev metropolia emphasized.
The UPTsMP chancellor noted that "people who commandeer church buildings of the canonical church are violating not only state laws but also the commandments," since a Christian cannot indulge in beating another person, damaging a church building, or inciting people to hatred and confrontation and trying to take control of the property of others. "Almost all of this happens during so-called transfers of churches to the so-called Kiev patriarchate," the metropolitan added. (tr. by PDS, posted 13 December 2014)
MORE THAN 30 UPTsMP PARISHES TRANSFERRED THIS YEAR TO UPTsKP—PATRIARCH FILARET
Portal-Credo.ru, 8 December 2014
This was stated in Chernigov to journalists by Patriarch Filaret, a correspondent of Ukrinform transmitted on 7 December.
"Only 30 parishes have transferred so far. Primarily in Rovno diocese. Although there also were some both in Kiev and in Dnepropetrovsk dioceses, and in the south. But this is only the start of transfer," Filaret said.
He is sure that the process of unification into a united local church must be peaceful, without seizure of church buildings which also belong to Ukraine and "this will happen when God wills it. And he will wish it when the people of Ukraine repent of their sins and overcome corruption."
"When we overcome this evil, then everything will be fine. Then the Lord at one stroke will change everything and we will be united in one church," the patriarch emphasized, after noting that next year will be difficult not only for the Donbass but also for all of Ukraine, "because it will be a year of struggle with corruption, which is not easy to overcome."
"We must be prepared for struggle, because there will be many provocations surrounding this. And it will be necessary to be reasonable and separate good from evil," Filaret added.
The head of UPTsKP was in Chernigov on an archpastoral visit. He led a festive liturgy on the occasion of the double holiday: the day of the commemoration of Great Martyr Ekaterina, the patronal holiday of the cathedral church of St. Ekaterina, and the church-wide day of commemoration of St. Merkury of Chernigov, the hegumen of Briginsk. Filaret's participation in these prayer services has become traditional. (tr. by PDS, posted 13 December 2014)
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