UOC Chancellor comments on possible visit of Phanar head to Ukraine

Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich) of Boryspil and Brovary, Chancellor of the UOC. Photo: facebook.com/MitropolitAntoniy

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is opposed to Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople’s arrival to Ukraine, said Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary, the UOC Chancellor, in the Church and Society program on the Glas TV channel.

Metropolitan Anthony believes that the arrival of the head of Phanar to Ukraine may cause new confrontations in society. The President should have taken into account the situation that has developed in Ukraine, the UOC Chancellor noted.

“The words of Vladimir Zelensky that Patriarch Bartholomew cares about peace in Ukraine sound quite dissonant,” Vladyka said.

Because if he really cares about peace in Ukraine, then we should find at least a single case where Patriarch Bartholomew, knowing the situation in Ukraine, could have somehow prevented what is happening. I mean the seizures of our temples, raider seizures, illegal re-registration. All this happened precisely due to the actions – let me reiterate – illegal actions of Patriarch Bartholomew toward Ukrainian Orthodoxy."

The Chancellor of the UOC recalled that Patriarch Bartholomew had illegally invaded the religious situation in Ukraine.

“And this interference led to opposition, to the forceful seizure of temples belonging to our Church, to the beating of our parishioners, our priests,” he stressed.

Therefore, our position is unambiguous: we are opposed to Patriarch Bartholomew coming to Ukraine. It’s easy to foresee that his arrival will not serve peace in Ukraine, but may become a new impetus for more large-scale confrontations."

According to Metropolitan Anthony, the president must make sure that an external visit does not lead to a new round of confrontation between believers in Ukraine.

“The fundamental thing about it is what the UOC has repeatedly stated: we must learn to live according to the Constitution, which explicitly says that the state is separated from the Church. Therefore, any interference by statesmen in the internal life of the Church contradicts our fundamental law,” summed up the UOC hierarch.

As the UOJ reported, Vladimir Zelensky invited Patriarch Bartholomew to Ukraine during his visit to Phanar.

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