Met. Simeon: I, like others, can run for head of SLC
Met. Simeon (Shostatsky) of Vinnitsa and Bar told reporters if pressure was put on him at the Bishops' Council of the UOC and if he claims to be the head of the SLC.
In the interview, the audio recording of which was published by the Vinnitsa Press Club, Vladyka Simeon said that he, like other bishops who would take part in the unification council, could be nominated for the head of the Single Local Church.
“I can only answer in such words as today all those who can be participants in the future unification council are answering,” the metropolitan said. “Each of its participants, including me, may be (nominated, - Ed.) for such a post in the Single Local Church.”
The hierarch also noted that at the Bishops' Council, held on November 13 at the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, he felt like a black sheep. Answering the journalist's question about whether pressure was put on him at the Council of Bishops, Vladyka Simeon answered that he felt ill at ease there: “Well, how can I say this ... of course! If everyone raises his hand "for", and one Simeon says: ‘I am against!’"
“When the final decision was made, first on all points, and then on the whole resolution, I said that, in general, I am against it and cannot sign, because then this signature will always be shown everywhere. In the end, His Beatitude said that we have democracy, which means we’ll take it as follows: all are ‘for’, and Vladyka Simeon is ‘against’, ”concluded the bishop.
We recall that Metropolitan Simeon (Shostatsky) of Vinnitsa and Bar was the only bishop who refused to sign the decision of the Bishops’ Council of the UOC. He said that he did not agree with the points about breaking the Eucharistic communion with the Patriarchate of Constantinople and the need to repent for Ukrainian schismatics.
