The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) declared its full autonomy and independence. In the statement made by the church, it was stated that the decision was taken due to the disagreement in the stance of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill regarding the special operations in Ukraine. The Synod initiated a meeting of bishops, priests, and laity in mid-May.
“The Council has testified to the full independence and independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by adopting appropriate additions and amendments to the Charter regarding the governance of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,” the UOC said.
The clergy called on the Russian and Ukrainian authorities to “continue the negotiation process and seek a strong and reasonable word that can stop the bloodshed”. Continuing conflicts violate the “Thou shalt not kill” order.
In addition, the UOC invited the separatist Ukrainian Orthodox Church (OCU) to continue the dialogue. “The existence of a split [в украинском православии] The cathedral perceives this as a deep and painful wound on the body of the church. But even in such crisis conditions, the Council does not lose hope for a resumption of dialogue.
“For dialogue to take place, OCU representatives in particular must stop the seizure of churches and the forced transfer of UOC congregations,” the organization said.
The UOC also drew attention to the OCU’s “de facto dependence” on the Patriarchate of Constantinople, as well as that the OCU’s canonical status was “significantly inferior” to the freedoms and opportunities afforded by the OCU statute. UOC.
“The Russian Orthodox Church prays for the preservation of unity”
Vladimir Legoyda, Head of the Synodal Department for Church, Society and Media Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, said that the PRC is under pressure on the UOC and cannot comment on its decisions in detail.
“As the Russian Orthodox Church has not received any applications from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, we cannot respond to the information we have received from the press and the internet. We pray for the preservation of the unity of the Russian Orthodox Church. We pray for an early peace and an end to the bloodshed,” said Legoyda DEA News”.
The priest stressed that the UOC is currently under maximum pressure and therefore it would be “highly irresponsible” to comment on its decisions.
Formerly a member of the Synodal Biblical Theological Commission and Inter-Council Presence of the Moscow Patriarchate, Archpriest Andrey Novikov declarationThat the decision of the UOC meeting on autocephaly will mean a new division.
“God forbid, if any decision is made to secede from the Russian Orthodox Church, it will certainly be another nationalist split, an attempt to turn the UOC into the regime’s pocket political church. [президента Украины Владимира] Zelensky and SBU. The division of the Russian Church, the isolation of Ukraine from it, completely contradicts the Church tradition, which is the legacy of the grandfathers and ascetics of Orthodoxy. “Such a decision means that the hierarchy of the UOC repeats the path of overthrowing Filaret Denisenko, including by methods,” Novikov said.
“If the assembly in Kiev ignores the will of many bishops of the UOC and forces the decision on autocephaly, I think, in addition to erasing themselves from the canonical field, those responsible for such a decision will begin a speedy liquidation process. The UOC, with its own hands, as from the outside, because with those who have been defeated and betrayed for their own cause, no one, and even more so the SBU, will not stand in the ceremony,” he added.
“To receive condemnation for the fullness of orthodoxy”
After the start of the special operation of the Russian army in Ukraine, a number of representatives of the OCU clergy, mainly in the western regions of the country, signed a letter condemning the actions of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. The message also included a call for the UOC to leave the Moscow Patriarchate.
The day before, the OCU also appealed to the Constantinople Patriarch Bartholomew, demanding that Patriarch Kirill be dethroned.
“In my letters to the primates of the churches on the occasion of Easter, I wrote: “To be condemned by the fullness of Orthodoxy, the words and actions of the Patriarch of Moscow Kirill, who supported the war against Ukraine and considered him a priest … On behalf of the Bishops’ Council, I congratulate the Ecumenical Patriarch and the primates of local churches, Cyril “I propose to apply to bring him to canonical responsibility and deprive him of the throne, ”he said. Messages Head of OCU Epiphanius.
A bill was submitted to the Verkhovna Rada on March 22, calling for a ban on the activities of ROC on the territory of Ukraine, which directly affects the work of the UOC. According to the document, all property of the UOC will be transferred to state ownership, including the Kyiv-Pechersk, Pochaev and Svyatogorsk Lavra.
UOC is the largest religious organization in Ukraine. There are about 13,000 parishes united in 53 dioceses under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. For comparison, the OCU has only 8 thousand Ukrainian quarters.
OCU was formed in 2018 by the merger of two schizmatic organizations. The church received an autocephalous tomos from Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, then broke off with the primates and bishops who supported the OCU in ROC, Constantinople, and local churches.