UOC Spokesman: Situation in OCU is not “special Filaret’s way” but a split
If Patriarch Bartholomew reimposes anathema on the head of the UOC-KP, he will recognize validity of the previous one, Archpriest Nikolai noted.
The decision of “Patriarch of Kiev and All Rus-Ukraine” Filaret Denisenko to recreate the UOC-KP is a split in the OCU, no matter how much this word is avoided there, stressed Archpriest Nikolai Danilevich, deputy head of the Department for External Church Relations of the UOC, in an interview with News One TV channel.
“This is a split in the split. From the point of view of church canons, no matter how this name, this word is shied off by the representatives of the OCU, who have already stated in their commentary that this is a special way for Filaret – it's a split. In fact, it means that in 1992, when the Kiev Patriarchate emerged as a breakaway from our Church, from the UOC – it was also a split,” said Archpriest Nikolai.
In his opinion, the situation in the new church structure can also compel Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople to admit that the anathema imposed on Filaret is legal.
“He must reimpose anathema for schism and, respectively, recognize that the previous anathema was also valid because the situation was absolutely identical, the actions of Filaret were identical,” explained the UOC spokesman.
According to the cleric, what is happening in the newly created religious organization will be carefully taken into account by the Local Churches.
“Local Orthodox Churches are even more closely monitoring our situation. They will definitely get to know about the events that took place around Filaret, around the so-called OCU. This will further only entrench their intention not to recognize this religious structure,” he noted.
Where there is no grace of the Holy Spirit, there is a split, split and again split, the spokesman of the canonical Church concluded.
Earlier, former spokesman of the Kiev Patriarchate Eustraty Zoria said: The OCU does not agree that Filaret does not consider himself its member. “His sudden decision to do what he did is his responsibility. But the OCU does not approve his decision. It means, from the point of view of the OCU, this does not lead to the separation and creation of any particular new church or jurisdiction. This is simply the point of view of Honorary Patriarch Filaret and his few like-minded people,” Zoria’s words were reported on the Facebook page of the new church structure.
