A spokesman for the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Archbishop Yevstratiy (Zorya) has commented on the recent statement by his counterpart with the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine (ROCinU), Archpriest Mykola Danylevch, who claimed that his church, to which he refers as “Ukrainian Orthodox Church,” cannot be called ROCinU and that such naming should be appealed in court.
“The name ‘Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine’ is provided by the LAW of Ukraine covering the jurisdiction this spokesperson represents. […] Therefore, all those who refer to it this way simply follow the law. It’s the ROCinU that violates this law,” said the OCU spokesman.
“Once a completely adequate and even somewhat pro-Ukrainian priest is now falling deeper and deeper to his lows by issuing various statements. I know quite well that Father Mykola has enough experience, education, and intellect to understand how wild such statements of his appear. And if he does make such statements, then some of his top officials really need them,” Archbishop Yestratiy wrote on Facebook.
He expressed regret that Danilevych’s current position determines his point of view, making him ignore the truth. He added that, had the law on the standardization of the church title been issued by the Russian Federation, the ROCinU would have quickly implemented it.
“This is not a Russian law, otherwise the ROCinU would have complied with it quickly, as it did in the occupied Crimea, being the first denomination to register the diocese under the occupiers’ laws,” said Archbishop Yevstratiy.
He also stressed that the UOC’s affiliation to the ROC is laid down DIRECTLY in the statutes of both jurisdictions. “Perhaps they even wrote down in their statutes something like ‘OCU and the unfriendly media?’” Archbishop Yevstratiy suggested sarcastically.
As for the “Turkish Church,” it does exist. It’s a proxy entity consisting of a single individual. It would be interesting to hear AT LEAST one argument of any connection between this fake “church” and the OCU,” said the OCU spokesman.
“Also, I don’t even mention the fact that there’s nothing in relations between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the OCU that’s similar to the structural connection and subordination that exists between the Moscow Patriarchate [in Ukraine] and the ROC.
If the spokesman, despite objective facts that completely refute his suggestion, hints at the “OCU’s affiliation with the Ecumenical Patriarchate,” it is difficult to understand why he refers to this Patriarchate not by its proper name, but that of a sham Turkish sect. Maybe that’s because he is afraid to emphasize once again that the OCU is part of the Ecumenical Orthodoxy, from communicating with which the MP is gradually isolating itself…
Or perhaps he so mysteriously hints that the “ROC” and the “Turkish Church” are equal in status and should be treated equally? If this is the case, it’s some really bold self-criticism,” Archbishop Yevstratiy (Zorya) summed up.
