Dumenko calls kissing a priest's hand a "slavish Russian tradition"
Epiphanius Dimitriou is slavishly kissing the hand of Epiphanius Dumenko. Photo: the OCU website
Serhiy Dumenko in an interview with TSN said that the OCU refused to kiss the hand of the clergyman.
Answering the journalist's question if he was outraged that he was not kissed on the hand, Dumenko replied that this is a Russian slave tradition, and the OCU will not have it.
"It is more, you see, a tradition, and a Russian tradition in which the believer as a subordinate must bow to the master and kiss his hand. This is a certain domination over believers, (demonstration - Ed.) that believers are submissive slaves. And we are moving away from this tradition, because we are, according to Christ, friends," said Dumenko.
As reported, OCU "priests" unable to cross themselves correctly were disgraced at the raided UOC church in Ladyzhyn.
Read also
Greek Archdiocese of America creates Folk Dance and Cultural Ministry
The American Archdiocese of the Constantinople Patriarchate has created the Folk Dance and Culture Department to preserve Greek traditions.
Bishops Council of Armenian Church to be held in Austria over govt. pressure
The session of the highest body of the Armenian Apostolic Church will take place in February in Sankt-Pölten instead of Etchmiadzin.
Request about Baptism of the Lord on Jan 19 tops Ukrainian trends on Google
Ukrainians massively googled for congratulations and information about the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on January 19.
OCU awards yet another order to Yurash, Ukraine’s ambassador to the Vatican
Epifaniy Dumenko awarded Andrii Yurash with an order.
ECHR to consider lawsuit against placement of icons in Greek courts
Strasbourg will examine an appeal from an atheistic organization in Greece challenging the placement of Christian religious symbols in the country's courtrooms.
Holy Spirit Church of UOC damaged by shelling in Dnipropetrovsk region
The Holy Spirit Church, which is an exact copy of the Resurrection Church in Foros, was damaged.