Epiphany: Filaret’s actions are null and anti-canonical

The head of the OCU Epiphany Dumenko. Photo: TASS

At a press conference on the occasion of the anniversary of his “enthronization”, the head of the schismatic OCU Epiphany Dumenko said that he does not pay attention to the “anti-canonical and null actions” of Filaret Denisenko, which run counter to the approval of the OCU as a single structure, reports UNIAN.

Dumenko said that the head of the UOC-KP played an important role in the establishment of the OCU, and therefore the “metropolitan” expected Denisenko to further support the development, approval, and strengthening of the new structure.

“We all expected that this experience would be used for the future development of the already recognized Ukrainian Orthodox Church, because for a long time – for 25 years – he [Filaret Denisenko – Ed.] was the banner of autocephaly,” the head of the OCU emphasized, “but unfortunately, the views that he expressed after receiving the Tomos were contrary to the general opinion of all bishops and clergy. So now the honorary patriarch is in isolation.”

The head of the schismatics said that the Kyiv Patriarchate had already been completely liquidated, “the OCU is the successor of the UOC-KP”, so he urges Denisenko to reconcile.

“He is a hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. We created all the necessary conditions for his further existence as a hierarch,” said Dumenko.

Despite this, the OCU does not welcome the current views of the "honorary patriarch":

“We don’t pay attention to those anti-canonical and null actions that he performs, because what he does has no future ... Unfortunately, these trials, which we will also go through, and these internal challenges, which to some extent are “frustrating because we expected that there would be assistance and help, there would be experience in order to develop, but, unfortunately, we see that there is such destructive activity on the part of the honorary patriarch.”

As reported by the UOJ, the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine stated that the OCU is not the legal successor of the Kyiv Patriarchate.

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