Сontact with the ROC was initiated by Filaret himself, – Metropolitan Hilarion

Negotiations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Kiev Patriarchate were initiated by representatives of "Patriarch" Filaret, which resulted in his letter to the ROC. This was stated at a press conference by the head of the Synodal Department for External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk (Alfeyev).

According to Vladyka, the corresponding process was started by representatives of the Kiev Patriarchate in the United States of America. The result of contacts was the letter of "Patriarch" Filaret to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and the episcopate of the Russian Orthodox Church.

This letter, according to Metropolitan Hilarion, was brought to Moscow by 3 spokespersons from "Patriarch" Filaret. At the same time, the head of the DECR of the Russian Orthodox Church stressed that his brief communication with representatives of the UOC-KP showed the presence of various groups of influence within the organization. One of them occupies an unambiguous "autocephalous" position, the other is aimed at reaching compromises with the ROC.

However, as head of the Information and Education Department of the UOC Archbishop Clement of Irpin of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church notes, Filaret’s letter actually says nothing about autocephaly, but speaks only of a restoration of Church unity and Eucharistic communion.

The head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s DECR Metropolitan Hilarion earlier explained that it was not the Council, but certain media outlets that misconstrued the intention of Filaret’s letter, as the bishops accepted his letter as a request for negotiations rather than for pardon.

It should be noted that this refutes the words of Filaret himself (Denisenko) at today's press conference, at which he attributes the initiative of the talks to the ROC. Also, Filaret said that "anathema does not bother" him, and those who have declared the anathematization against him are more interested in its removal.

Read also