Cherkasy OCU “bishop”: Sofroniy didn’t join us because it was too stressful

Ivan Yaremenko (center) with OCU representatives. Photo: pomisna.info

Ivan Yaremenko, head of the Cherkasy Eparchy of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), stated that the late Metropolitan Sofroniy (Dmytruk) of Cherkasy and Kaniv (UOC) did not join the OCU because it would have been too stressful for him.

Yaremenko claimed that although the Metropolitan did not take part in the so-called "Unification Council," he allegedly intended to join the OCU.

“He cited illness – and it’s clear that he truly was very sick, as he passed away shortly after the creation of the local Orthodox Church,” said Yaremenko. According to him, Metropolitan Sofroniy “feared making such a drastic move, as it would have been very stressful.”

“One could say that his dreams of autocephaly were fulfilled after his death – in the form of Ukrainian-language liturgies in his churches,” Yaremenko added.

He also noted that the late Metropolitan’s brother, Fr. Petro, “immediately after the beginning of the full-scale invasion, joined the Orthodox Church of Ukraine together with the clergy of his parish and the priests of the Smila deanery.”

Previously, Metropolitan Sofroniy had repeatedly affirmed his loyalty to the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) and publicly opposed the forced transfer of parishes and state interference in Church affairs.

He also stated that the OCU was entirely dependent on the Greeks and referred to its creation as a “vassal seizure.”

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