HEAD OF RPTs KIRILL: CREATION OF INDEPENDENT CHURCH IN UKRAINE MUST NOT BE ALLOWED
Interfax-Ukraina, 9 December 2018
Patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus Kirill considers it impermissible for the Orthodox church in Ukraine to be granted independence.
"Is it possible that these people (advocates of an independent church—IF) are right and in an independent state there should also be an independent church? . . . Why would such a thing not be permitted with respect to Ukraine? . . . It is impossible to permit it," the patriarch said on Sunday, addressing believers after the liturgy in the church of St. Tatiana's church in Liublino.
In his opinion, it is impermissible inasmuch as the advocates of an independent church, "those who strive to establish a so-called independent church," are filled with anger and are ready to achieve their goal by force and "destroy the life of other people."
However, the patriarch said, "we believe that the Orthodox church will stand its ground and that no schisms, no schismatic associations, no participation by secular authorities, no angry and militant rhetoric will be able to wrest believers . . . from life in God's light."
On 15 December a unification council is supposed to be held in Kiev, which is called to create in Ukraine a church independent from the Moscow patriarchate. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate has refused to participate in this project. (tr. by PDS, posted 10 December 2018)
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