RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS

Ukraine does not welcome visit by Moscow patriarch

PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION REACTS TO KIRILL'S INTENTION TO COME TO KIEV

RISU, 1 February 2019

 

Patriarch Kirill's statement about a desire to visit the Kiev caves lavra is evidence of hopes for a change in government in Ukraine and may be viewed as covert support for pro-Russian candidates for president of Ukraine. This was said on the broadcast of "Priamoe" by the director of the chief department for issues of humanist policy of the presidential administration, Yury Riban, Fakty reports.

 

He said that Russia is activating all instruments, including the issue of faith, in order to influence the choice of Ukrainians.

 

The key is not that he will come to Ukraine; he can dream as much as he wants. He talks about a change in the political lineup and says that he hopes for a change in power in Ukraine, which will open the road for Kremlin's candidates," Ruban said. (tr. by PDS, posted 1 February 2019)

 

PATRIARCH KIRILL DREAMS OF VISITING IN UKRAINE WITH HIS "BELIEVING PEOPLE"

RISU, 31 January 2019

 

The primate of the RPTs, Kirill, hops that in the future he will be able to visit the Kiev caves lavra and meet with believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Pariarchate.

 

He declared this in a conversation with journalists, Ukrainskaia Pravda reports, with reference to TASS.

 

"I preserve the hope that I will be able to pray in the Kiev caves lavra and meet with my believing people and with the episcopate of the Ukrainian church, which today is heroically defending canonical Orthodoxy," Kirill said.

 

He said that the political situation and lineup is a "passing fad."

 

Kirill urged the flock of the UPTsMP "to keep the faith firmly and not surrender to temptation."

 

"The spiritual, cultural, and civilizational unity of Russians and Ukrainians is stronger than temporary political schemes and models, which work for the destruction of this unity," the primate of the RPTs declared. (tr. by PDS, posted 1 February 2019)

 

PATRIARCH KIRILL HOPES TO STILL VISIT UKRAINE

RIA Novosti, 31 January 2019

 

Patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus Kirill urged the Ukrainian Orthodox Church "to keep the faith firmly" and he declared in conversation with journalists, timed to coincide with the tenth anniversary of his enthronement, that he hopes to visit Ukraine in the future.

 

"I am hoping that the Lord will grant me yet to visit Ukraine, because the political situation and the general political lineup is such a passing fad. One thing today and another tomorrow. Some political forces and then others. Therefore I am preserving the hope that I will be able to pray in the Kiev caves lavra and meet with my believing people and with the episcopate of the Ukrainian church, who today are heroically defending canonical Orthodoxy," the patriarch said.

He recalled the words of the apostle Paul, urging the Thessalonians in his epistle "to stand" in the faith and "to keep the traditions." "What does 'keep the tradition' mean?' Tradition is a synonym for 'catholic' (universal—ed.) faith, that is, the faith that the church confesses. So you firmly keep this faith and do not surrender to any temptations," the primate of the RPTs said, addressing these words to the Ukrainian flock.

 

The patriarch's message, he added, must be taken "as the voice of the church," because his words are based on the conciliar position of the church.

 

"To listen to the voice of the church is now the most important thing for the believing people in Ukraine. This voice resounds significantly from the lips of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufrey and the episcopate of our church. So it is necessary to listen to that voice and to live in according with what the church teaches and what it calls for. Then no political vicissitudes will divert people from their life's course," the patriarch concluded. (tr. by PDS, posted 1 February 2019)


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