UPTsKP BISHOPS' COUNCIL DECIDES ON PARTICIPATION IN UNIFICATION COUNCIL
Religiia v Ukraine, 14 December 2018
On 13 December 2018, in the patriarchal residence in Kiev, under the chairmanship of Patriarch Filaret, a session of the Bishops' Council of the UPTs of the Kiev Patriarchate was held. The council listened to information about preparation for the unification council that will convene in Kievan Sophia [Holy Wisdom cathedral] on 15 December 2018. The decision was made to participate in the council as the episcopate and representatives of the clergy, laity, and monks, in accordance with the blessing of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Religiia v Ukraine reports, with reference to the website of the UPTsKP.
As Ukrainskaia Pravda writes, citing sources in the UPTsKP, the council of the UPTsKP voted for Metropolitan of Pereiaslav and Belaia Tserkov Epifany as a candidate for the position of primate of the united Orthodox Church in Ukraine.
One of Ukrainskaia Pravda's sources said that the voting procedure was not secret but open.
Around 40 bishops assembled for the council and approximately 30 of them supported the candidacy of Metropolitan Epifany. At the same time, 12 bishops supported Metropolitan of Lutsk Mikhail.
The decision of the council of the UPTsKP relative to Epifany does not mean that at the unification council on 15 December another candidate may not be nominated from the UPTsKP.
Metropolitan of Pereiaslav and Belaia Tserkov Epifany is a member of Filaret's closest circle. It is he who is Filaret's virtual "right hand," the patriarchal vicar. (tr. by PDS, posted 14 December 2018)
KIEV PATRIARCHATE TO PROPOSE TWO CANDIDATES FOR POST OF PRIMATE, WHO WILL BE CHOSEN AT UNIFICATION COUNCIL
Interfax-Religiia, 14 December 2018
The self-proclaimed Kiev patriarchate will propose two candidacies for the position of head of the new church, who will be selected at the unification council on 15 December, an informed source told the Interfax-Ukraina news agency.
"From the UPTsKP there will be two candidacies," the news agency's interlocutor said.
He said that at the Bishops' Council of the UPTsKP on Thursday, an open vote for candidate for the post of primate was held.
"Patriarch Filaret proposed to come out with a single candidate from the UPTsKP in the hope that everyone will support him unanimously," the source said. He said that this "candidate from Patriarch Filaret" was Metropolitan of Pereiaslav and Belaia Tserkov Epifany Dumenko. The majority of bishops supported his candidacy, but 12 opposed him.
"Several were afraid to go against Filaret openly," the news agency's interlocutor noted.
He reported that Metropolitan of Lutsk and Volyn Mikhail Zinkevich (UPtsKP) may also vie for the position of primate and he has the support of bishops.
At the same time, the source emphasized that voting in the council will be secret. (tr. by PDS, posted 14 December 2018)
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