In the perception of the UOC MP, communities are serfs over whom there are masters. But communities must independently decide the issue of jurisdiction.
This was reported by the spokesman for the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Archbishop Yevstratiy (Zorya), who commented on a recent interview of Metropolitan Meletii of the UOC MP.
“In the interview, Metropolitan Meletii of the UOC MP, one of the closest associates of Metropolitan Onufriy, talked about dialogue.
If translated from the MP language to ordinary, his position will sound like this: ‘Not the right moment for dialogue yet.’
As the ultimate prerequisite for dialogue, the side of our opponents essentially proposes to recognize religious communities as “serfs” over whom there are “masters” who can “take them away,” “seize” them, or “let them go.”
But communities are not serfs, so they independently decide the issue of their belonging.
From our side, it is impossible to recognize the view of communities being serfs, which is rooted in the the MP. Communities have been and will be leaving the ROCinU because they want to do so, not because someone from the outside told them to.
If Meletii truly stands in favor of dialogue (although it looks like it is not at all the case) – it is necessary to start it, not to look for any new reasons why the MP side is not ready for it,” said the OCU archbishop.
