Met. Rastislav alerts Bp. Isaiah to consequences of serving with OCU

Metropolitan Rastislav. Photo: OCCLS website

The Synod of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia did not recognize the OCU’s autocephaly, therefore the message of Bishop Isaiah (Slaninka) of Sumper about the participation in the celebrations of the newly formed church structure is "a manifestation of gross neglect and disrespect" to the chairman and other members of the Synod. This is stated in the appeal of the Metropolitan of Czech Lands and Slovakia, Rastislav (Gont), published on the website of the OCCLS on November 21, 2019.

The UOJ cites the full text of His Beatitude Rastislav to Bishop Isaiah.

“Since the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Czech Lands and Slovakia has not yet recognized the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, I have to acknowledge your “notification” of participation in the celebrations in Kyiv as a gross disregard for the chairman of the Holy Synod, disrespect for and lack of solidarity with other members of the Holy Synod.

Alongside the other hierarchs of our Local Church, you signed a decision on our restrained position until reaching a pan-Orthodox consensus on the issues of the Ukrainian schism and autocephaly.

If you nevertheless take part in the celebrations, the Holy Synod of our Local Church will act in accordance with the holy canons of violating the bishop’s obedience to his metropolitan.

I really hope that, taking into account the above facts, you will reconsider your intention to take part in the celebrations in Kiev on November 21, 2019,” said the Primate of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, Metropolitan Rastislav.

Recall, on November 20, 2019, the hierarch of the structure of the Patriarchate of Constantinople created in the Czech Republic, Bishop Isaiah (Slaninka), performed a joint service in St. Mikhail Monastery of Kiev with Epiphany Dumenko and the “hierarchy” of the OCU. As Archpriest Nikolai Danilevich, Deputy Head of the UOC DECR noted, they will try to interpret the fact of this service as the beginning of recognition of the OCU by the Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, but this is not true, because the presence of Bishop Isaiah at the service of the new church structure is an arbitrary act.

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