PRO-RUSSIAN FORCES IN METROPOLITAN EPIFANY'S INNER
CIRCLE ARE A
MYTH—CONSTANTINOPLE
"The statement that Metropolitan Epifany is surrounded
by
pro-Russian forces is a myth," a representative of the
ecumenical
patriarch, the metropolitan of Gaul, responded to Patriarch
Filaret's words.
Metropolitan of Gaul Emmanuel declared that he does not
agree with the
statement by the honorary patriarch of the Orthodox Church of
Ukraine (PTsU),
Filaret, who on 24 May after the session of the PTsU Synod
reported that
pro-Moscow forces, whose main task is to attempt to destroy the
Ukrainian
church, influence the PTsU primate, Metropolitan Epifany.
"The church is not just premises, structures, or
buildings. The
church, in the first place, is created by believing people who
support it with
all their might. All these people supported the Kiev
patriarchate and the
UAPTs, and today they support the PTsU and its primate, Epifany.
I do not see
any new people. The church has nothing to fear; it does not play
any political
role, and it does not interfere in political matters. All
accusations to the
effect that the primate, Epifany, is surrounded by any
pro-Russian forces it are
myth. The primate, Epifany, is a young and strong person, whom
we support along
with Ukrainians," the metropolitan of Gaul said.
The Orthodox metropolitan of France, who is subordinate
to the
ecumenical patriarchate, emphasized that the tomos, which was
signed by the
ecumenical patriarch and clergymen of the ecumenical
patriarchate, laid the
foundation of a new autocephalous church. The cleric also noted
that the text
of the tomos was not the result of negotiations of two sides. It
explains how a
church should function. A similar text was given by the
ecumenical patriarchate
to all local churches that received autocephaly in their time.
"Nobody has the right to judge what in the text is correct and what is not. And those who do not accept some provisions of the tomos are refusing to be in the bosom of that church. The church has a great future in front of it. It will stand on its feet and select for itself the way it will go," Metropolitan of Gaul Emmanuel emphasized. This was reported by Kanal 24. (tr. by PDS, posted 27 May 2019)
RUSSIA TRIES TO ISOLATE ORTHODOX CHURCH OF
UKRAINE—METROPOLITAN EPIFANY
Russia is trying by all means to isolate the Orthodox
Church of Ukraine
(PTsU), to prevent its recognition on the part of other local
churches, and to
sow discord among Orthodox Ukrainians. The aggressor rejoices
when some
unpleasantness occurs in the Ukrainian church.
Such an opinion was expressed by the primate of the
Orthodox Church of
Ukraine, Metropolitan Epifany, Kanal 24 reports, citing the
press service of
the church.
The achievement of complete unity of all Ukrainians
around the Kiev see
is today being prevented by that portion of Ukrainian Orthodoxy
that does not
recognize the destructive forces of remaining in spiritual
dependence upon the
northern neighbor, who by all means is trying to isolate the
PTsU, to prevent
its recognition, and to sow discord among Orthodox Ukrainians,"
he noted.
Metropolitan Epifany also added that now maintaining
unity is
especially important for both the Ukrainian clergy and the
believers.
"We must maintain unity among ourselves—bishops, clergy, and laity. As an example of such unity on our part we will encourage our brothers from the Moscow patriarchate to recognize the necessity of having in Ukraine a single Orthodox church and to take realistic steps in that direction," the metropolitan declared. (tr. by PDS, posted 27 May 2019)
PATRIARCH KIRILL HOPES FOR END OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST
ORTHODOX IN
UKRAINE UNDER NEW PRESIDENT
Interfax-Religiia,
27 May 2019
Patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus Kirill is counting on
the ending of
discrimination against Orthodox in Ukraine with the election of
Vladimir
Zelensky as president.
"In Ukraine, the rights of an enormous number of
Orthodox
believers are being violated in the most crude manner," the
patriarch told
journalists in the Strasbourg airport upon the ending of his
visit to France.
"As a result of these violations there was real
suffering merely
for the fact that they wanted to remain Orthodox, they wanted to
remain members
of the Russian Orthodox Church," he added.
At the same time, recent changes that have occurred in
Ukraine in
connection with the election of a new president, Patriarch
Kirill said,
"inspire hope."
"I am acquainted with the thoughts of many Orthodox
Ukrainians.
They associate with this election (of a new president) positive
changes in the
sense that discrimination for belonging to an Orthodox
jurisdiction, which
everybody has equal rights to, is ceasing. I share these hoped
of Ukrainians in
connection with the election of Mr. Zelensky," the patriarch
said.
"I very much hope that this caveman's policy, which is
absolutely
impermissible not only in Europe but also in the majority of
countries of the
world, where respectable citizens are discriminated against on
the basis of
affiliation with a specific religious organization, will leave
the life of
Ukrainians forever. I think that these hopes are shared also by
my
interlocutors here in Strasbourg," the primate of the Russian
church said.
It was reported earlier that he held meetings with the secretary general of the Council of Europe, Thorbjorn Jagland, and the high commissioner of the Council of Europe, Dunja Mijatovic. (tr. by PDS, posted 27 May 2019)
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