UPTsMP IN ODESSA ASHAMED OF ITS AFFILIATION WITH MOSCOW PATRIARCHATE
On the social networks there have appeared photographs of how the identification tablets of Odessa churches of UPTsMP have erased inscriptions about affiliation with the Moscow patriarchate. They have been erased not only from churches, but also from monasteries and the residence of Metropolitan Agafangel, an ardent supporter of Putin's policy.
The Odessa civic activist Mikhail Sheludko identified and posted on Facebook a photo of how the tablet on the St. Andrew's extension appeared in 2012. On a blue background with yellow lettering in the first row was written that this is the Moscow patriarchate, and then the name of the confession and the church were indicated. In 2015 the tablet had been changed. At first glance it seemed that everything remained as before, the same contours, colors, symbols, and size, but on the new informational piece the carvers "forgot" to indicate affiliation with the Moscow patriarchate.
The inscription "Moscow patriarchate" also disappeared from the tablet of the St. Elijah monastery of the Odessa diocese.
[The pertinent photographs may be viewed at this site: "Odessa diocese dumps tablets of Moscow patriarchate"]
Recently, as is known, because of the pro-Russian position of the leadership of the UPTsMP, Ukraine has been deluged by a wave of transfers of parishes and lay individuals from this church into others. In the west of Ukraine, many believers expressed a desire to join the Kiev patriarchate. In Odessa itself, Mikhail Sheludko also noted, the Moscow patriarchate is not threatened by anything, but it seems that even the greatest supporters of the Russian World do not want to be considered pro-Russian now.
It should be noted that many hierarchs of the UPTsMP now openly declare that their church is independent and that it should not be identified with the Moscow patriarchate. [see, for example, UPTsMP bishop in western Ukraine sets idiosyncratic course]
However Metropolitan Onufrey, the primate of UPTsMP, has a different opinion. On 24 May, on the day of commemoration of the Equal-to-Apostles Cyrill and Methodius, he declared in Moscow that the UPTs is a member of the Moscow patriarchate and "actively serves God and its people and continually raises prayers for peace in our land." [see Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox leaders get together ] (tr. by PDS, posted 30 May 2015)
Editorial disclaimer: RRN does
not intend to certify the accuracy of information
presented in articles. RRN simply intends to certify the
accuracy of the English translation of the contents of the
articles as they appeared in news media of countries of
the former USSR.
If material is quoted, please give credit to the
publication from which it came. It is not necessary to credit
this Web page. If material is transmitted electronically, please
include reference to the URL,
http://www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/.