Filaret declines comment on the “clergy” meeting in Kiev to mass media

Filaret Denisenko at the meeting with rectors of the Kiev temples on June 3, 2019. Photo: press center of the UOC KP

On Monday, May 3, 2019, the “honorary patriarch” Filaret Denisenko convened the Kiev “priests” in his residence, asking them to refrain from commenting to the press on the results of this meeting, reports Glavcom.

One of the participants of the meeting, “archpriest” Sergey Tkachuk, noted that no one had signed any documents at the meeting, nor had any decisions been made about the Feodosiya Monastery.

“Yes, the decisions were made, but His Holiness asked everyone to refrain from commenting on them to the press,” said the “priest”.

Later on the website of the UOC KP there appeared information about the meeting with the following content: “On June 3, 2019, His Holiness Patriarch Filaret of Kiev and all Rus-Ukraine held a meeting of the rectors of the churches of Kiev city in his residence. During the meeting, His Holiness informed the clergy about the course of events in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and discussed topical issues of church life with the attendees.”

No other details are reported.

On Sunday, June 2, 2019, “bishop” of the OCU Adrian Kulik informed that “he is receiving calls from the priests of the Kiev churches, who are still (formally) under the leadership of the former Kiev Metropolitan Filaret (Honorary Patriarch), with a question, ‘Vladyka Filaret convenes all the priests of Kiev to 36 Pushkinskaya St. on Monday at 11 am. He will demand (via blackmail / intimidation / threats) that we sign an oath of allegiance to the UOC KP and to him personally as the patriarch of the KP. What should we do?’"

Read also