Filaret: OCU registered illegally, original documents are in Istanbul

Filaret Denisenko believes that the OCU was registered illegally. Photo: credo.press

The head of the UOC-KP “Patriarch” Filaret Denisenko said in an interview with the “Political News of Ukraine” that the registration of the OCU was carried out illegally since the necessary original documents are kept by the Phanar’s head in Istanbul.

Filaret believes that this situation testifies to the dependence of the OCU on Constantinople: "This Church is dependent on a foreign centre".

“The Ministry of Culture of Ukraine illegally registered the Kyiv Metropolis of the OCU because Metropolitan Epiphanius illegally submitted documents for registration, said the “Honorary Patriarch”.  “According to the law, original documents must be submitted for registration. But there are no originals. They are in Constantinople with the Patriarch Bartholomew. And Metropolitan Epiphany gave only a certified copy. And the Ministry of Culture does not have the right to register a religious organization on the basis of copies.”

Filaret also accused the Ministry of Culture of violating the laws of Ukraine.

“The state body does not have the right to register a foreign organization in this way, and our Ministry has registered. They must be held accountable for violating Ukrainian laws.”

As reported, Filaret Denisenko has already accused the director of the Department for Religions at the Ministry of Culture Andrei Yurash of “unlawfully seizing the property of the UOC-KP” and filed a lawsuit against the Ministry of Culture, which, according to the “Honorary Patriarch”, illegally removed the Kyiv Patriarchate and the UOC-KP from registration.

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