UPTsKP BISHOP BANNED FROM MINISTRY FOR DISPLAYING WEAPONS IN HIS HANDS
Religiia v Ukraine, 29 December 2014
News media published photographs of Bishop of Uzhgorod and Transcarpathia Kirill, a hierarch of the UPTsKP, from which it is evident that during his stay in the ATO zone he, dressed in clerical garb and a stole, is holding arms (an automatic weapon and artillery shell) in his hands. The UPTs synod banned the bishop from clerical ministry, Religiia v Ukraine reports, citing the website of UPTsKP.
According to Bishop Kirill's explanations published in news media, he supposedly "became a warrior for Christ" and supposedly "personally" sent "to Putin's monsters several rounds of ammunition as punishment for occupying Ukrainian land."
Since Bishop Kirill's actions are a gross violation of canonical rules that forbid priests from bearing lethal weapons (and in the event of a priest's committing even manslaughter he is subject to inhibition from ministry or expulsion) and they "discredit the church, sow temptation, and may be used by enemies of the Kiev patriarchate and of Ukraine for a prevocational purpose," on 26 December the Holy Synod, in view of the urgency of the matter and through a conference call, adopted a decision to forbid Bishop of Uzhgorod and Transcarpathia Kirill to minister until his complete repentance.
Temporary leadership of the Transcarpathia diocese is entrusted to Metropolitan of Ivano-Frankovsk and Galicia Ioasaf.
The synod noted that clergymen, that is, bishops, priests, and deacons, may be among troops exclusively in the capacity of military clergy (chaplains) for providing spiritual and charitable material aid. Clergymen are forbidden to participate directly in armed actions or to use lethal weapons. (tr. by PDS, posted 29 December 2014)
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