Media: Filaret's supporters may become “schismatics” for Constantinople
Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and head of the OCU Epiphany Dumenko
The “bishops” and the “clergy” of the new religious structure who support the “Honorary Patriarch” of the OCU Filaret Denisenko can become “schismatics” for the Constantinople Patriarchate, the “BBC. Ukraine” news agency reported.
“For an attempt to implement “Filaret’s scenario” and deviate from the provisions of the Tomos and the statute (of the OCU - Ed.), the Phanar can apply sanctions. Those hierarchs or clergymen who may follow Filaret are allegedly at risk of becoming "schismatics" for Constantinople and find themselves having a non-canonical status,” the “BBC. Ukraine” journalists reported the information from a source close to Epiphany.
In their opinion, the majority of “hierarchs” of the new religious organization are afraid of such a prospect.
But the source of the news agency close to Filaret claims that there is discontent in the relationship of Constantinople and the head of the OCU Epiphany Dumenko. Among the reasons, he cited the situation with the transfer of foreign parishes to the new church structure under the jurisdiction of the Phanar and the formalization of the official name of the religious organization.
“There are questions about the formalization of the name of the new church as the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (OCU), although there should have been only the OCU,” the source of the “BBC. Ukraine” said.
According to the journalists, Epiphany’ supporters are still confident that they will be able to avoid a split in the newly created church structure.
A meeting of the “synod” of the OCU is scheduled for May 24, 2019. Next day, the head of this church structure plans to celebrate his Angel's Day and invited all the “bishops” to the celebrations. If most of them come to the event, it will show full support for Epiphany.
Earlier, Filaret said that he can’t exclude a split in the OCU, but he will not give up the idea of creating the Kiev Patriarchate.
Read also
DESS: The number of communities joining OCU in 2024 is half of last year’s
Over a year, 232 communities of the UOC changed their jurisdiction.
Scale of internal damage to UOC cathedral in Zaporizhzhia shown online
The video allows viewers to assess the damage endured by the main Orthodox church of the UOC in Zaporizhzhia.
Ex-MP UOC protodeacon Novinsky declared suspicion of high treason
The former MP is accused of "ensuring that a significant part of Ukrainian society, who are believers of the UOC, remain under the direct influence of the leader of the ROC".
St Andrew’s icon survives under the rubble of UOC cathedral in Zaporizhzhia
The icon was painted by nuns of the St Nicholas Monastery in Patras (Greece) and consecrated on the relics of St Andrew the Apostle.
RF missile strike destroys St Andrew's Cathedral of UOC in Zaporizhzhia
The fragments damaged the roof of the building, dome, ceilings, cut windows and disfigured classrooms.
Media shows conditions in which persecuted communities of Volyn have to pray
After their churches were seized, UOC faithful are compelled to pray in poorly equipped facilities.