UOC рierarch challenges legality of Sloviansk cathedral re-registration
Archbishop Paisios stated that the actual community of the Alexander-Nevsky Cathedral remains faithful to the UOC.
Archbishop Paisios of Kostiantynivka recorded an address, in which he stated about the illegal re-registration of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral of the UOC in Slovyansk. The hierarch emphasized that this concerns an attempt to transfer the shrine to the structure of the OCU without the consent of the actual community.
Earlier representatives of the OCU claimed about an allegedly completed re-registration and change of the community leadership. However, His Grace Paisios refuted these statements, pointing out, that the canonical community of the church already in December held a lawful meeting, where the majority of parishioners confirmed their loyalty to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The hierarch explained that the so called «assembly» of supporters of the transfer actually was not held, and signatures were collected outside the church. "These signatures were collected in homes, in apartments, in entrances, anywhere, but not here at the parish," he noted.
Archbishop Paisios stated that already at the initial stage, in November, they officially notified both city and regional authorities that the persons initiating the "transfer" have no relation to the actual community of the cathedral and are essentially not connected to its parish life. However, despite this, these arguments were not taken into consideration, and a new structure was registered.
The UOC emphasizes, that, despite the administrative decisions, the spiritual life of the community continues, and attempts to pressure the Church have repeatedly been undertaken in history, but have not had long-term consequences.
"All those who throughout the long centuries of the Church's existence tried to harm it in some way, have passed into history, we don't even remember their names. We won't remember these either. Christ is Risen!" said His Grace.
As the UOJ wrote, Slovyansk authorities transferred the UOC cathedral to the OCU.
