Met Pavel: RF shouldn’t be superior to Ukraine for the Patriarch of All Rus

Metropolitan Pavel, abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Photo: lavra.ua

Ukraine, Russia and Belarus should be equally important for Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'. Metropolitan Pavel, the Abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, stated this in an interview with the UOJ.

According to him, the UOC does not agree with the position in the war, which was taken by the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.

“There are some points that were said by the Patriarch. He spoke them for his people, while we (the UOC – Ed.) speak in defense of our people. <...> If he is a Patriarch for everyone, then he had to find other words, give certain pointers for the Ukrainian soldiers, for the Ukrainian people,” the hierarch said.

Metropolitan Pavel added that neither he nor the Ukrainian Orthodox Church had anything to do with Russia and the Moscow Patriarchate:

“I have nothing in common with the Moscow Patriarchate. Yes, I communicate and I will communicate with friends, bishops, priests from the ROC just like I communicate with Patriarch Theophilos (Jerusalem Orthodox Church – Ed.) and representatives of other Local Churches, since we are a single entity – the Church of Christ.”

As reported by the UOJ, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church called on international organizations to stop the seizure of the Lavra.

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