UOC Primate: OCU has no priesthood and cannot be called the Church

His Beatitude Onuphry at a press conference in Podgorica. Photo: UOC

OCU is a non-canonical group that cannot be called a Church. His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine said about it during the press conference in Podgorica (Montenegro), answering journalists' questions.

“Regarding the so-called Orthodox Church of Ukraine I will say that this is a non-canonical group in which there is no apostolic succession and canonical ordination. Therefore, without any priesthood, they cannot call themselves the Church,” said the Primate of the UOC.

According to His Beatitude, it is wrong that some politicians who created this church structure are trying to artificially make it legitimate.

“We respect all politicians, including me, and love them, but we also say that the Church determines Her desires from Her own entity, rather than through politicians, and the Church must be centered on Christ,” His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry emphasized.

Recall that in his opening remarks at the press conference in Podgorica, His Beatitude Onuphry emphasized that despite all the trials, the UOC had not only survived but also become stronger.

As reported by the UOJ, the Primate of the UOC is on a three-day visit to Montenegro. On February 27, Metropolitan Onuphry led the Vespers in the church of Resurrection of Christ and then, together with Metropolitan Amphilochios – the cross procession.

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