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Ukraine and More (a cura Redazione "Il sismografo")
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- Creato: 26 Settembre 2018
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(Peter Anderson) The Holy Synod of the UOC-MP met yesterday. It was the first meeting of the Synod since May 25. The complete minutes of the meeting can be read here. The following is a Google translation of the resolution found in Journal Entry 17, which relates to the presence of the two exarchs in Ukraine:1. Express concern about the appointment of the "Exarchs" by the Constantinople Patriarchate to Kyiv and consider this a ruthless interference in the internal affairs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and in violation of its canonical territory.
2. Call on the Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I to stop interference in the internal affairs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and not to violate its canonical territory.
3. To consider the activity of the "exarchs" of the Constantinople Patriarchate as anti-canonical and violating the inter-confessional peace in Ukraine.
4. The "Exarchs" of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, Archbishop of Pamphilion Daniel and Bishop of Edmonton Hilarion, must leave the canonical territory of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
5. Episcopate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to suspend concelebration with the hierarchs of the Constantinople Patriarchate.
6. The clergy, the monastics and faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to strengthen their prayers for preserving the unity of the Holy Orthodoxy.
Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil has also give another extensive interview. (link)
Unfortunately, now there is no dialogue [with the Phanar], because the very principle of the existence of the Local Orthodox Church is grossly violated. Those representatives of the Patriarchate of Constantinople who arrived in Ukraine with a specific task, in our opinion, are here and act uncanonically. Therefore, when they asked the Primate of our church to receive them, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry categorically refused to do so. In particular, because their arrival to the territory of our church must be discussed in advance, and they should have received permission from the UOC. These bishops arrived on their own, and not simply as pilgrims, but with a clear goal - to implement some of their projects. Given all this, we must state that there is no direct dialogue with Phanar.
When asked whether the dialogue will begin if they ask permission, Metropolitan Anthony responded that “the opportunity is always there.”
In reading the resolution of the Holy Synod and the long interview of Metropolitan Anthony, I am struck by the fact that there is no statement that the UOC-MP is not interested in autocephaly. I suspect that the reason is that there is no unanimity within the UOC-MP as to the interest of the UOC-MP in autocephaly. You may recall that on the day following the adoption of the June 25 statement by many of the Ukrainian bishops, UOC-MP Bishop Victor (Kotsaba)(UOC-MP) stated: “The Ukrainian Orthodox Church does not stand categorically against the idea of autocephaly, which today our opponents are trying to accuse us.” (link) This statement by Bishop Victor was posted on the official website of the UOC-MP. Although advocacy for autocephaly may be a minority view within the UOC-MP, it may be easier for the UOC-MP to avoid stating its view on autocephaly in view of the lack of unanimity among the UOC-MP bishops. Rather, the UOC-MP is basing its refusal to discuss the idea of a single autocephalous Ukrainian church with the exarchs on the grounds that the exarchs have not obtained the permission of the UOC-MP to come to Ukraine – a position with respect to which there may be a consensus among the bishops of the UOC-MP.
Last Sunday, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew reaffirmed at the Church of Saint Fokas in Istanbul’s Ortaköy neighborhood his intention to grant autocephaly to the Ukrainian Church. (link) The statement of the Ecumenical Patriarch included the following:
Now it is the turn of Ukraine to receive the status of autocephaly in due course, I hope, despite the existing reactions and this will happen because it is right. It is her right to receive the status of Autocephaly and, on the other hand, it is a right, and indeed the exclusive right of our Ecumenical Patriarchate, to grant the Autocephaly as granted to all the newer Orthodox churches, beginning with Russia in the 16th century and to the Czech and Slovakian Church, as I said earlier. We are not scared by the threats….
In other news relating to Ukraine, Metropolitan Hilarion met with Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria and Metropolitan Sawa of Poland in Warsaw on September 23. (link) Serbian Bishop Irinej of Backa has given an interview in which he again strongly expresses his support for the Moscow Patriarchate. (link) Interestingly, both Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Serbian Patriarch Irinej will be together at an event in Greece on September 30. (link) Archbishop Job (Ecumenical Patriarchate) has already issued a rebuttal to the resolutions made by the Holy Synod of the UOC-MP yesterday. (link)
In other news, Pope Francis participated in an ecumenical prayer service at the Lutheran cathedral in Riga, Latvia on Monday. Metropolitan Alexander of Riga and All Latvia (Moscow Patriarchate) was also one of the major participants. You can watch the entire service here . In the video, the prayer recited by Metropolitan Alexander can be viewed at 45:00, and his exchange of the sign of peace with Pope Francis can be seen at 57:35. During Metropolitan Hilarion’s recent trip to Portugal, he visited the famous Catholic shrine of Fatima. (link) In the past Metropolitan Hilarion has advocated the idea of Catholics visiting Orthodox holy places, and Orthodox visiting Catholic holy places.
Peter Anderson, Seattle USA