Metropolitan Pavlo said that none of the amendments approved by the UOC-MP Council really change anything, Glavcom reports.
The governor of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan Pavlo, commented on the changes to the statute of the Moscow Church in Ukraine. It should be recalled that they were approved by the UOC-MP Council in late May and were implied to demonstrate the religious organization’s shift away from the Russian Orthodox Church. However, Pavlo dispelled these hopes of the faithful, noting literally: “All amendments we have approved – they don’t change anything…”. In fact, the bishop confirmed the assumption, earlier voiced by pundits, that all the advertised reforms of the statute are of a decorative nature, aimed only at stopping the mass outflow of believers from the Moscow to the Ukrainian Church amid the ongoing war.
At the same time, Pavlo urged the faithful not to look for a trace of Moscow in the life of the Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. “We never belonged to the Moscow Church. The Moscow Church began its existence with us. We are a separate church that commemorates its leader, Metropolitan Onufriy. It is independent and not subordinate to the Moscow Patriarchate,” he said.
The Lavra governor also stated that the Ukrainian language is not forbidden in Moscow Patriarchate churches, but personally, Pavlo prefers the Church Slavonic language over the Ukrainian language during services.
“Christians should not interfere with each other. We don’t know what happens tomorrow and we stand for the unity of Ukraine. We must unite for the revival of our independence and our identity, “said Pavlo.
During the interview, Pavlo switches to Russian, noting that the letters “MP” in their church title (standing for Moscow Patriarchate – ed.) were added by their enemies.
The Council of the Moscow Church in Ukraine also decided that the UOC-MP will not engage in dialogue with the OCU until the “seizure” of Moscow church temples, slander, and interference in the life of the “canonical” church of the Moscow Patriarchate are stopped.
“A priest has no nationality, just like Christ. The church has no affiliation. It is ‘in Ukraine’ (literally), so it is Ukrainian. The one is Russia is Russian. There cannot be several parallel churches on one earth,” said Metropolitan Pavlo.
