UOC explains why it will not reject the Letter issued by Patriarch Alexy II

UOC's press conference. Photo: YouTube screenshot

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) has stated that it will not reject the Letter issued in 1990 by Patriarch Alexy II, which affirms the independence and autonomy of the UOC in its governance. This decision is based on the fact that the Letter does not imply dependence on the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC).

At the press conference titled "Results of the UOC’s Activities in 2022," held on December 29 at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, the head of the UOC Legal Department, Alexander Bakhov, compared the Letter to a person’s birth certificate.

"The Charter is like a birth certificate. Everyone born before the 1990s has a green booklet with a coat of arms and the relevant inscription, issued during the USSR. Can you reject it? Can you renounce your birth certificate? This Letter (issued by Patriarch Alexy II) does not speak of subordination or dependence on Russia. It states that at a certain stage in the Church's life, it was granted independence and autonomy," Bakhov explained.

UOC spokesperson Mykolay Danylevych urged people not to confuse canonical church documents with legal documents that are of interest to the state and carry weight for it. He clarified that the Charter is an internal church document with no significance for the state.

Archpriest Serhiy Yushchyk elaborated that referencing the Charter in the UOC Statute affirms continuity and demonstrates that this Church did not emerge out of nowhere.

"I was baptized 42 years ago. I received my birth certificate 42 years ago. It was issued in another country, with a different name – the USSR. The Church in that country also had a different name, which has since changed. However, my faith's dogmas and sacraments have remained unchanged. That is why the Statute mentions this Letter – to show that we continue to live and preach Christ."

As reported by UOJ, on December 27, the Constitutional Court ruled the law on the forced renaming of religious organizations whose centers are located in an aggressor state to be legitimate.

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