UOC-KP urges OCU to dialogue: We have become a scandal for the entire world

Head of the UOC-KP Filaret Denisenko. Photo: Facebook

The Church sues the Church, the children sue their father – the UOC-KP and the UOC became shame for the whole world. This is stated in the message of the press service of the UOC-KP, published on the page of the religious organization on Facebook on September 16, 2019.

Referring to the words of the OCU spokesman, Eustraiy Zoria, that “the court cannot interfere in the internal affairs of the Church” which he said following the judicial review of the claim of the UOC-KP to the Ministry of Culture, the UOC-KP noted his “sober vision” and stated that “the time has come to coordinate key misunderstandings among themselves, i.e. between the OCU and the UOC-KP.”

The UOC-KP was reminded that the OCU has its own Church, “which you wanted to have so much” thanks to the “sacrifice” of Filaret, who “signed the decree of the so-called Council of December 15, 2018, and there was no mistake about it because all that he did, he did for the good of the Church and for your benefit, but with this inflicted himself a wound."

“Everyone got what they wanted. Are you satisfied with the kind of Tomos you received? Patriarch Filaret and everyone who gathered in the St. Vladimir Cathedral on June 20 are not happy. Yes, we addressed the Ecumenical Patriarch and asked for the Tomos. But they hoped to get such a Tomos, which other Local Churches have, not its limited version, without real autocephaly. For this reason, the Local Council of the UOC-KP took place on June 20, 2019, at which they decided to secede from the OCU,” the press service emphasized.

The resolution of the conflict between the two church organizations is viewed by the UOC-KP as mutual non-interference in each other's affairs.

“The conclusion is simple: you have your own Church, but we have our own too, and everyone should be concerned about their affairs without interfering with others. We urge you to a reasonable dialogue, for we have become shame for the whole world. The Church sues the Church. Children sue their father. It’s a big shame, “...I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother takes another to court – and this in front of unbelievers!” (1 Cor. 6: 5-7),” summed up the UOC-KP.

As reported by the UOJ, earlier Eustratiy Zoria stated that the court cannot interfere in the affairs of the Church, and the decision of the Kiev District Administrative Court to secure the claim of the Kiev Patriarchate against the Ministry of Culture does not cancel the fact of liquidation of the “Kiev Patriarchate of the UOC-KP” and will be challenged on appeal.

Recall, on September 11, 2019, the Kiev District Administrative Court issued a ruling on securing the claim of the Kiev Patriarchate against the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine on the illegal cancellation the Statute of the UOC-KP and the Kiev Patriarchate. By its decision, the court forbade any registration actions related to the UOC-KP, and also prohibited the liquidation commission, headed by the "bishop" of the OCU Ioann Yaremenko, "any actions on administration of the Kiev atriarchate and disposal of its property". Later it became known that the judge, who ruled to satisfy the claim of the UOC-KP against the Ministry of Culture, announced the interference of Filaret's lawyers in the process of administering justice and recused himself.

Read also

“OCU Lavra abbot” claims UOC monks “betrayed” relics of Venerable Fathers

Avrahamiy Lotysh accused the monks of the monastery – who have been denied access to the Kyiv Caves Lavra catacombs for several months – of having “forgotten their duties.”