The Orthodox Church of Ukraine welcomes and supports all efforts to finally remove the power of the Moscow Patriarchate over the Church in Ukraine as non-canonical, imposed by force, and harmful to Ukrainian Orthodoxy.
This is according to the statement of the Holy Synod of the UOC (OCU) on the recent events as regards the issue of the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine (UOC).
The OCU notes that based on publicly available documents, it cannot be claimed that the UOC-MP has ceased to be an integral part of the Russian Orthodox Church.
At the same time, the OCU Synod expresses joy at the decision of the UOC-MP on the need to start a dialogue between the two Orthodox jurisdictions in Ukraine.
“For our part, we reiterate that such a dialogue should begin without preconditions or ultimatums. We look forward to concrete proposals from the other side on the first steps in the dialogue and the appointment of those responsible for the dialogue,” the document reads.
“We regret the decision of the May 27 meeting to approve all previous decisions, which include the move by the UOC (MP in Ukraine) jurisdiction, , following the divisive actions of the Moscow Patriarchate, to sever ties with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Patriarchate of Alexandria, the Church of Cyprus, and the Hellenic Church. This, as well as the form of commemoration of the Primates after the Liturgy, which was chosen by Metropolitan Onufriy last Sunday, de facto confirmed the dependency on the decisions and position of the Moscow Patriarchate,” the OCU notes.
The OCU hierarchs are also “disappointed” that the UOC-MP Council has failed to find the right words to condemn Russian aggression towards Ukraine and the position of Russian Patriarch Cyril.
“The expressions chosen in the text of the decrees are too short and soft compared to the tragedy that our people are experiencing. There was also no word of condemnation and dissociation from the ideology of the ‘Russian world’ – a heretical ethnophyletic doctrine and a cornerstone in justifying Russia’s war against Ukraine,” the authors of the statement said.
