UAOC “bishop”: Unification Council will not be held by the end of November

“Archbishop” Athanasy (Shkurupy) of Kharkov and Poltava of the UAOC

“Archbishop” Athanasy (Shkurupy) of Kharkov and Poltava of the UAOC spoke about the impending of the unification council on the ZIK TV channel, explaining that by the end of the month it will not be held.

According to Shkurupy, the negotiating commission, tasked with discussing the agenda for the unification council, has not held a single meeting.

“When the commission is working, the negotiators should work together to work to develop the charter and other documents about how the Church will live after the unification,” “Abp.” Athanasy said. “But there have been no proposals to date either from the Kiev Patriarchate or from the government—if it’s already initiated this whole process, then it should also at least be the arbiter in this process, but they haven’t approached us yet. I personally don’t know anything.”

Answering the question whether the council will be held by the end of November, Shkurupy expressed himself unambiguously: “I am sure of this. Maybe there will be a council of the Kiev Patriarchate, but the unification council—on what basis?”

Earlier, Ukrainian Parliament Chairman Andrei Paruby has said that the council should be held by the end of November. According to the Phanar hierarch, Archbishop Job (Getcha), Patriarch Bartholomew will convene a unification Council in Ukraine, when he “considers that the time has come”.

Read also

U.S. bishops call for Church unity on Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy

The Assembly of Bishops of the USA has issued an encyclical for the Triumph of Orthodoxy on Church unity, veneration of icons, and support for pan-Orthodox ministry.

OCU organizes harassment of businessman for aiding UOC

Hryshchuk called for boycotting the business of the entrepreneur who built a UOC church in the Rivne region.

Head of Lavra Reserve: I believe UOC monks will move to the OCU

Ostapenko said there are 140 UOC monks and novices on the territory of the Lower Lavra.

"Shield of Judah": Biblical name given to operations against Iran

A joint Israeli–US military operation against Iran has received a code name referencing the biblical forefather of the Jewish royal line.

In Syria, Islamic militants behead statues of Christ and Virgin Mary

Vandals beheaded statues of the Lord and the Mother of God at the entrance to the "Cave of the Virgin Mary" in the village of Al-Basiya near the coastal city of Banias in Syria.

Icon with particle of Gabriel Urgebadze's relics to be brought to Uzhhorod from Georgia

The holy icon, painted in Georgia, will be brought to the Holy Trinity Church of the Mukachevo Eparchy of the UOC.