Zoria "explains" why the UOC does not recognize "sacraments" of the OCU
The OCU spokesman believes that by re-baptizing children, baptized in his structure, the UOC violates canons and dogmas of Orthodoxy, following instructions by the ROC.
OCU spokesperson Yevstratiy Zoria stated that the UOC does not recognize the "baptism" of children in the OCU and re-baptizes them in the canonical Church because, in 1992, the ROC declared that the sacraments performed in the UOC-KP are henceforth "incorrect, uncanonical, and graceless". He mentioned this in his video blog and assured that this is a Moscow myth propagated to influence the souls of Ukrainians.
"So, the source of the position of the supporters of the Moscow Patriarchate is not that they reject the baptism due to some violations in our doctrine or because we incorrectly profess the Holy Trinity or do not adhere to church canons. The source of their position is Moscow's position. Moscow told them that this is not valid, that it is not grace-filled – accordingly, they listen to what they are told in the 'white-stone city,'" he stated.
As reported by the UOJ, a hierarch of the Cypriot Church previously stated regarding the issue of the OCU that the Holy Synod cannot recognize as priests those people who did not receive canonical ordination: "The 2000-year history of both the Cyprus Church and the entire Orthodox Church calls into question the possibility of legalizing the ordinations performed by the defrocked hierarchs, who were excommunicated and anathematized." Their punishment was recognized by all Orthodox Churches.
