Filaret “bans from priesthood” rector of Theological Academy of OCU

Filaret with Alexander Trofimliuk in the United States. Photo: Facebook

Filaret Denisenko issued a decree in which he forbids the rector of the Theological Academy of the OCU, Alexander Trofimliuk, in the ministry. The document is printed on the official letterhead of the UOC KP and published on the resource cerkva.info, which until recently had been the official site of the Kiev Patriarchate.

"For violation of the oath of the priest, in particular," ... I will serve in accordance with ... the instructions of the spiritual leadership ... In the matter of my ministry, to pursue not personal benefit, but the work of God for the benefit of his Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate”, Archpriest Alexander Trofimliuk is banned in the priesthood,” the text of the document says.

Trofimliuk himself managed to comment on the decree and stated that he disagreed with the ban and did not intend to obey Filaret.

“Objectively, there is no religious association called ‘the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate’. Therefore, as a cleric of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Orthodox Church of Ukraine), I consider any orders, published on behalf of the UOC KP, to be invalid.”

Alexander Trofimliuk, who kick-started his career in the UOC KP, completely owes his professional take-off to Filaret.

In 2005, Filaret “ordained” him the “deacon”, in 2007 – the “priest” of the UOC KP. Since 2006, Trofimliuk worked as the head of the Press Center of the Kiev Patriarchate of the UOC KP and the administrator of the official website of the Kiev Patriarchate.

Starting from 2011, he was the vice-rector of the Theological Academy of the UOC KP, the chief editor of the Orthodox Herald magazine.

From 2012 – the head of the Publishing Department of the UOC KP. From 2013 – the first rector of the Theological Academy of the UOC KP, from 2014 – professor.

On February 5, 2019, Trofimliuk became the rector of the Academy.

Filaret also awarded Alexander Trofimliuk with many orders.

Earlier, the “hierarch” of the OCU, Joasaph Shibaev, stated that in the process of creating the OCU, the young part of the “episcopacy” entered into an alliance with the Greeks, opposed themselves to the senior “bishops” and developed a plan to eliminate Filaret.

“The present leaders of the Church, recall that it was he who found you, herding cows and geese, elevated you to the top of the church life, provided you with all amenities: both spiritual and material. He ordained you bishops, gave dioceses, expensive cars, precious panagias, crosses, miter, magnificent vestments, expensive phones, money. You, apparently, in self-conceit, took all this for granted. What do you pay the Patriarch with? You do not let him live the rest of his years alone, in honor and silence? Remember the words of God – ‘Cursed is Canaan, he will be a slave of slaves...’ May it not be with you and with us! ”, wrote Shibaev.

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