Recently came the reports of a “scandal in the Polish Church” that allegedly arose over the visit of the hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Oleksandr of Pereyaslav and Vyshneve. The Metropolitan commented to the Spiritual Front of Ukraine on the details of the Poland visit and his attitude to the statements claiming there was some “scandal” around it According to him, the situation was artificially hyped up on the instructions of the Moscow Patriarchate, with their use of people loyal to them within the Polish Church.
“The fact is that I just can’t understand what caused all this talk and discontent within the Polish Church. Yesterday Bishop Simeon (Metropolitan of Vinnytsia and Bar of the Orthodox Church of Ukrainian – ed.) called me and asked me: ‘What do you know about that scandal Poland?’ He says that one of the vicars, either George or someone whom I don’t know personally, allegedly addressed the Ecumenical Patriarchate by writing a letter of complaint. I don’t know what caused the stir or what it’s connected with because I had a private visit at the invitation of the Osnova nonprofit in Poland. These are my friends who asked me to hold a presentation of the Mazepa Gospel,” Metropolitan Oleksandr said in a comment to the Spiritual Front of Ukraine.
The metropolitan noted that he did not understand what could have caused such outrage and suggested that the instructions to inflame the scandal came from the top of the Moscow Patriarchate.
“No one has addressed me with any reservations in my regard. This is exactly the presentation that took place in Lebanon, where my delegation and I were led by Ambassador Ihor Ostash. In my opinion, it’s just that the UOC-MP and the MP use one of the bishops of the Polish Orthodox Church to destabilize our relations. I know very well the head of the Polish Church, His Beatitude Sawwa, I know, in fact, the whole episcopate, but the bishop to whom Bishop Simeon referred in a conversation with me – I have never met him in person,” said the OCU Metropolitan.
Metropolitan Oleksandr also said that the first time he heard about some indignation from the Polish Church was in a phone conversation.
“I am ready to answer for every action I take, and if it is not in accord with something, then I am ready to bear responsibility if someone tells me in canonical terms what I’m guilty of. As Christ stood at his trial and said, ‘If I am guilty, say what is it, and if I am not, then why are you beating me?” In addition, the visit was not to the Polish Church but to a public organization that has nothing to do with the Polish Church. I did not worship, I didn’t convene the diaspora, no actions were taken that would contradict my activities. Yes, I’m a bishop, but this does not mean that I have to change and wear a jacket and if it is a private visit, it doesn’t mean I have no right to wear a priest’s vest,” added Metropolitan Oleksandr.
“This is a cultural and academic project that we are running with the support of the Metropolitan Volodymyr Memorial Foundation. The project has nothing to do with my church activities,” said Metropolitan Oleksandr.
“If the SPZh (a pro-MP outlet) is covering this story, accusing our Consul General in Krakow, it is already clear who stands behind all this. Because this is a nice event which, however, bugs them a lot,” the cleric concluded.
