Press service of Vinnitsa eparchy: Met. Simeon is supported by 6 priests

New head of the press service of the Vinnitsa eparchy Protopriest Vladimir Puchkov

3 priests and 3 deacons of the Vinnitsa Cathedral has followed Metropolitan Simeon (Shostatsky) banned from priesthood, Protopriest Vladimir Puchkov, head of the press service of the Vinnitsa eparchy, told a UOJ correspondent.

“Of the city clergy (besides the clergy of the Cathedral) today, three have declared their support for this quasi-Church,” said Father Vladimir.

According to him, one of the priests who supported the OCU is a cleric of the Cathedral, the second remained in his church, and there is no information available yet about the place of ministry of the third one.

Metropolitan Simeon was followed by Archimandrite Dorophey, the dean of the Vinnitsa deanery (already banned by the Holy Synod of the UOC), and Father Alexy Volkov, the rector of a small church in the basement room of the military hospital, reports the press service of the Vinnitsa eparchy.

The situation in Koziatin deanery is still not quite clear, said Father Vladimir.

Father Vladimir also said that on December 18, 2018, 3 or 4 clerics of the Koziatin deanery expressed support for the UOC at the meeting with Archbishop Varsonofy (Stoliar) of Vinnitsa and Bar; the position of the others is not known: they either decided to join the OCU or simply failed to come to the meeting.

Everything will become clear on December 20, 2018, Father Vladimir explained. According to him, on this day there will be a meeting of all supporters of the new religious organization, which Vladyka Varsonofy did not bless to attend. The participants of this event will confirm their affiliation with the OCU by the very fact of their presence, emphasized Protopriest Vladimir.

He added that the overwhelming majority of believers in the Vinnitsa eparchy did not support the idea of “unification”.

About 300 priests and more than 1,200 laymen came to meet Archbishop Varsonofy, said the head of the press service of the Vinnitsa eparchy.

He confirmed the information about the singers and staff members leaving the Cathedral. Father Vladimir met in person with a prosphora maker and some guards.

The head of the press service said that the Vinnitsa eparchy now has new official pages on the Internet, and all the resources maintained by the OCU cleric Vladislav Demchenko no longer have any relation to the canonical Church.

As reported, on December 17, 2018, the Holy Synod of the UOC banned Metropolitan Simeon from priesthood and deprived him of the right to take the Holy Sacraments of Christ. The members of the Synod called upon the flock to pray for the correction of Vladyka Simeon and his return to the bosom of the Church.

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