“They will respect only a strong church”
Patriarch Filaret is not going to give up the leadership in the UOC-KPHis Eminence Iziaslav (secular name is Yurii Karha), archbishop of Zhytomyr and Ovruch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate, marks his 60th anniversary and 15 years since his promotion to the position of a bishop.
To honor him, heads of many eparchies of the UOC KP and Patriarch Filaret of Kyiv and All Rus’-Ukraine came to Zhytomyr. The patriarch decorated the church hierarch of Zhytomyr with the Order of the Grand Prince Volodymyr, one of the highest awards of the UOC KP.
In his speech he noted that the decision of the Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate to broach a dialogue with the UOC KP indicates that the latter is gaining strength and has a future. Patiarch of Moscow and All Rus’ Kirill also understood this during his visit to Ukraine.
For only a strong church will gain respect. Besides, he said that the UOC KP has already had bishops who have never been members to the Russian Orthodox Church and will never go there.
Somewhat later Patriarch Filaret said in this respect that the head of the Russian Orthodox Church went on with his course on limiting the independence of the UOC KP MP, and according to the available informal information, the next step that is being prepared must be to implement the procedure of appointing bishops and establishment of this church’s new eparchies by the approval of the ROC Synod.
It is a contradiction to the Statute of the UOC MP and is was met with dislike by a considerable part of this church’s bishops, which has prompted them to come into dialogue with the Kyiv Patriarchate clergy.
However, Patriarch Filaret admitted that it will be difficult to start it. Apart from the accusations of noncompliance with the canons and lack of divine grace that are constantly adressed to the UOC KP by the hierarchs of the Moscow Patriarchate as well as other circumstances, which have resulted in an abyss between different Orthodox denominations, the position of the part of the UOC MP clergy who are against any negotiations with “dissidents” can also make itself felt.
However, with consideration of Patriarch Kirill’s intentions to take this step, the UOC KP wants to forestall him. The aim of the UOC KP in these contacts, to create a single local Orthodox church in Ukraine, will remain unchanged.
