ROC Synod issues a statement on the Council of UOC

On May 29, 2022, a meeting of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church was held under the chairmanship of Patriarch Kirill at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, which expressed its stance regarding the Council of the UOC, which was held in Kyiv on May 27, 2022, reports patriarchia.ru.

The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church decided:

1. To express all possible support and understanding to the archpastors, pastors, monastics and laity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is subjected to unprecedented pressure from representatives of schismatic structures, local authorities, the media, extremist organizations and the nationalist-minded part of the public.

2. To call on the plentitude of the Russian Orthodox Church to fervent prayers for strengthening the forces of our brethren in Ukraine, for granting them courage and God's help in the daily feat of Christian witness.

3. To affirm that the status of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is determined by the Letter of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus dated October 27, 1990.

4. To note that the additions and amendments to the Statute on the governance of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, adopted by the Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, need to be studied in the prescribed manner in terms of their compliance with the aforementioned Letter and the Statute of the Russian Orthodox Church, according to which such additions and amendments must be submitted for approval to the Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus.

5. To emphasize that Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus, deeply empathizing with all those affected by the disaster, has repeatedly called for doing everything possible to avoid casualties among civilians, and for all members of the Russian Orthodox Church to pray specifically for the immediate restoration of peace and to provide all possible assistance to all those affected, including refugees, people left without shelter and livelihood.

6. To express regret over the fact that a number of dioceses of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church discontinued the commemoration of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus, which has led now to divisions within the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and which contradicts Canon 15 of the First-Second Council of 861.

7. To testify that the plentitude of the Russian Orthodox Church prays for the preservation of church unity and for putting an end to the bloodshed.

As the UOJ reported earlier, Patriarch Kirill commented on the situation in the UOC.

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