Filaret adherents picket the venue of OCU “Synod” session

Picketing at the walls of St Sophia of Kiev. Photo: Ukrainskaya Pravda

On May 24, 2019, people who consider themselves parishioners of the UOC KP, organized a picket at the place of the meeting of the “Holy Synod” of the OCU in support of “honorary patriarch” of this church structure Filaret Denisenko, reported in the Ukrainskaya Pravda online edition.

About one hundred elderly people gathered at the walls of St. Sophia, along Vladimirskaya Street, with posters "NKVD methods in the management of the OCU are unacceptable", "Filaret is our Patriarch", "Epiphany, do not destroy the church." Protesters were chanting: "Filaret is our patriarch".

Several dozens of law enforcement officers maintained order around the Cathedral, the ambulance was on duty nearby.

The meeting of the "Synod" began at 10 am in the Metropolitan's House on the territory of St. Sophia Cathedral, journalists were not allowed to attend the event – they were waiting outside.

Earlier, the head of the OCU, Epiphany Dumenko, announced that the members of the “Holy Synod” of this religious organization would discuss the row that broke out in the new church structure. Rumors that at the previous and present "Synods" there were attempts to retire Filaret were called by Epiphany "outright lies". “According to the norms of the new statute, this or that bishop is elected to the see for life. But if there are any misunderstandings and certain actions are committed, this will be considered by the Holy Synod and the ecclesiastical court, after which relevant decisions in compliance with the statute will be made,” he said.

Earlier, the UOJ announced that the “Holy Synod” of the OCU had elected Archimandrite Epifanios (Demetriou) of the Church of Constantinople to be the Bishop of Olvia. It is assumed that the appearance of the Greek Bishop in the OCU is aimed at the recognition of the newly formed church structure by the Local Orthodox Churches.

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