The Primate of ROCOR: the actions of Constantinople in Ukraine could lead to bloodshed

    

The decision of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, with the active participation of the government of Ukraine to grant autocephaly to a new Church structure is another political way of separating the peoples of Russia and Ukraine, which may lead to bloodshed and violence. About this in an interview with TASS said on Monday the head of the Russian Orthodox Church outside of Russia (ROCOR) Metropolitan of Eastern America and new York Hilarion.

“This [the granting of autocephaly] – absolutely uncanonical act of Constantinople, the so-called Ecumenical Patriarch, committed in violation of Church rules, – said the Metropolitan. – His action only aggravates the situation of discord among the faithful in Ukraine. We can say that it is a political way to further divide the people of Ukraine and Russia, as the President [of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko] is pressed firmly against the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), led by Onufriy, calling it Moscow”.

The contention of the people and the martyrdom of the flock

“In fact, the majority of the Ukrainian people is a parish of the canonical UOC – he recalled. – If there are any violent acts from the government (of Ukraine) against our Orthodox Church, it will cause, perhaps even bloodshed and martyrdom among the flock. This situation is very bad. We pray that the Lord will give peace to the Ukraine, to the people and to the Orthodox Christians stood true Church of Christ and could not be artificially created Church institutions.”

According to Metropolitan, to rectify the situation and to restore unity in the Church and among the parishioners perhaps if Constantinople will cancel all your previous decisions and actions in relation to the Ukrainian Church. “The great merit in this contention belongs to the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew – he should realize his mistake, – said the head of ROCOR. – Of course, he is unlikely to do so, but while there is such a push from the government there (Ukraine) and created a new autocephaly against Orthodox Christians, there will be no reconciliation or peace in the country. There is hard power in the country that will try to bring discord.”

No communication of the Russian Orthodox Church, ROCOR with the newly created Autocephalous Church of Ukraine can not be. “Concelebration impossible, believers should not go to these temples, if they consider themselves Orthodox Christians,” said Metropolitan Hilarion. “The canonical Church – the Ukrainian Orthodox Church headed by Metropolitan Onufry and his Synod,” he said and recalled that at present the Moscow Patriarchate and ROCOR also do not communicate with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, whose actions led to a Church split. “We will not beg – in until you fix this big mistake,” said the Metropolitan.

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