UOC rep: UOC hoped for Phanar’s sound assessment of situation in Ukraine

Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich). Photo: 112.ua

Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich). Photo: 112.ua

In 2018, there was no suspicion that Patriarch Bartholomew would legalize the schismatics since the UOC hoped for a sound assessment of the situation in Ukraine. Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich) of Boryspil and Brovary, the UOC Chancellor, said this in the project of the Odessa Eparchy "Faces".

“We hoped for soundness in assessing the situation in Ukraine. Indeed, before this meeting (of the head of the Phanar with the members of the Holy Synod of the UOC in 2018 – Ed.), I travelled several times, personally met with Patriarch Bartholomew, described him the real situation, based on documents. But for some reason, it was not the logic of the canonical Church that was perceived, but the logic of the schismatics,” the Metropolitan explained.

According to him, one gets the impression that at that time "there was already some ground for acting against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in such a villainous way" and in the Phanar it was as if they were "expecting a certain situation when one can simply interfere in the church life of another Local Church in a direct and arrogant way".

“When there was no opportunity, when there was another reality, they (Phanariots – Ed.) recognized us very reverently and spoke good words. But when the opportunity arose, then, forgive me, (acted – Ed.) like a predator that expects when it can pounce on the victim. Unfortunately, this is what happened,” added the UOC Chancellor.

Metropolitan Anthony noted that when the Ukrainian Orthodox Church now states about the seizures of its churches, about the beating of believers and priests, in Phanar "it is as if they did not notice this, as if there was some kind of veil on their eyes".

“This, of course, is a spiritual illness, because (this – Ed.) is the insensibility of the pain of another person, especially the Church, which they consider their daughter. Like a parent who can see their daughter's suffering and does not to try to help but accepts the logic of those who victimize their daughter. This, I say it again, is not only non-ecclesiastical logic but also not human. There is no humanity in these actions,” resumed the UOC Chancellor.

In the opinion of Metropolitan Anthony, the main problem of Orthodoxy now is the new ecclesiology of the Phanar.

Напомним, по мнению митрополита Антония, главная проблема Православия сейчас – это новая экклезиология Фанара.

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