RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS

Kiev patriarchate states case against Moscow patriarchate

UPTsKP SYNOD CRITICIZES NEW UPTsMP LEADERSHIP FOR SILENCE ON RUSSIAN AGGRESSION AGAINST UKRAINE

RISU, 15 December 2014

 

On 13 December a session of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev patriarchate was held in the Synod Hall of the Kiev patriarchate, under the chairmanship of Patriarch of Kiev and all-Rus-Ukraine Filaret.

 

The members of the synod heard a report from Patriarch of Kiev and all-Rus-Ukraine Filaret about the state of mutual relations with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow patriarchate [UPTsMP].

 

The UPTsKP Holy Synod concluded that because of the categorical refusal of the new UPTsMP leadership to begin a dialogue with the Kiev patriarchate about overcoming church division and the creation in Ukraine of a united local Orthodox church, such official dialogue has still not begun.

 

The UPTsKP also noted that the Kiev patriarchate is open and ready for dialogue and it awaits corresponding steps on the part of UPTsMP.

 

The synod noted as a positive event the signing by Orthodox hierarchs of Rovno province of the Memorandum on a United Ukraine and United Ukrainian Local Orthodox Church. The UPTsKP expressed regret that under pressure of the leadership of UPTsMP, metropolitans Varfolomei and Anatoly withdrew their signatures under the memorandum. The Kiev patriarchate emphasizes that it has consistently spoken out against the use of force or seizure of church buildings, and the change by parishes of UPTsMP of their jurisdiction occurs in accordance with Ukrainian legislation and the charters of parishes, and thus the accusations against the Kiev patriarch of alleged "seizure of church buildings" are baseless.

 

The UPTsKP synod adopted the decision "to consider that the position of the new leadership of UPTsMP, which still has not officially condemned Russian aggression against Ukraine, provokes hostility and conflict in Ukrainian society, and is an inappropriate response to incidents of support of anti-Ukrainian activity on the part of representatives of the UPTsMP clergy."

 

"The new leadership of UPTs of the Moscow patriarchate has not devoted the necessary attention to investigation of numerous instances of the participation of its own clergy in activity of pro-Kremlin separatists and terrorists, giving them public support and blessing.

 

"Thus, specifically, there was not given an appropriate assessment to the provocative anti-Ukrainian sermons of Bishop of Banchensk Login and the act of blessing by Metropolitan Ioaniky of the leader of terrorists of the so-called Luhansk republic, Plotnitsky, during his "inauguration," and numerous incidents of the consecration and blessing of fighters, weapons, and banners of terrorists. On the contrary, with the blessing of the UPTsMP leadership, high church awards have been received by priests who are notorious for their support of separatism, Dimitry Sidor from Transcarpathia (second cross with decorations) and Alexander Avdiugin from the Luhansk region (order of Nestor the Chronicler).

 

"We are upset by the inaction of the new UPTsMP leadership in overcoming the current church division, by the absence of condemnation on the part of the UPTsMP leadership of the Russian armed aggression against Ukraine, and by numerous instances of support on the part of UPTsMP clergy, especially in the Donbass, of separatists and terrorists to which the UPTsMP leadership had not responded in an appropriate manner. Individual UPTsMP parishes, whose number is growing, are making the decision to transfer under the omophorion of the UPTs of the Kiev patriarchate, in accordance with Ukrainian law and their own charters. The UPTsMP leadership baselessly declares such decisions 'seizures,' accusing the Kiev patriarchate of allegedly provoking interconfessional hostililty," the minutes of the UPTsKP synod's session say. (tr. by PDS, posted 16 December 2014)


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