UOC Chancellor: Leaders of schism are puppets of major political players

Chancellor of the UOC, Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich) of Boryspil and Brovary. Photo: rusk.ru

The Chancellor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary, in an interview with the UkrLive TV channel, expressed the opinion that the leaders of the schism in Ukraine are not able to influence the situation with division, since they are not completely independent in their actions.

"Everything is in God's hands. Yes, we do not see a desire so far to find the correct church way out of this issue, but we do not see the power that would lead to this solution. Probably, little depends on those who are now guiding the split in Ukraine. One way or another, as we are witnessing this, they are puppets in the hands of more powerful, to use the secular language, ‘players’, not only in the ecclesiastical environment, but also on a large geopolitical field,” Vladyka Anthony believes.

Metropolitan Anthony emphasized that overcoming the schism can only be carried out in a conciliar manner on the basis of church canons.

“Nevertheless, we are believers and we hope that this cannot last forever. Ukrainian society deserves that Orthodox people be united, but everything must be resolved through agreement. Let me reiterate that this is a fundamental position of our Church: everything should be based on church canons, on the tradition, which was molded by the blood and sweat of our ascetics and which has shown its vitality. Therefore, everything should be decided by consent, conciliarity."

The UOJ wrote that, according to the UOC Chancellor, the issue of legalizing schismatics is a political one.

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