The head of the Department for external Church relations of the UOC Metropolitan of Luhansk and Alchevsk Mitrophan
Metropolitan Mitrofan denied the statements of Archbishop job (Geci) that UOC is not an independent unit administered by the inter-Church dialogue.
The head of the Department for external Church relations of the UOC Metropolitan of Luhansk and Alchevsk Mitrophan called the false words about the visit of Patriarch Bartholomew to Kyiv without an invitation 10 years ago. Reported Information-enlightenment Department of the UOC.
In response to recent decisions of the Holy Synod of the UOC Hierarch of the Patriarchate of Constantinople Archbishop job (Hecha) stated that the UOC has no right to “expel” exarchs of Constantinople from Ukraine, as “inter-Church relations of the UOC-MP is not an independent unit in the dialogue, does not lead a conversation that involved only the Russian Orthodox Church”.
“That’s not true, – said the Metropolitan Mitrofan, because we are in direct correspondence with the Patriarchate of Constantinople, the proof of which there are many mutual letters, which now lie in the archives as we have Kiev and in Constantinople. And the Lord of the RMA may not know it, so I’m surprised to hear such claim.”
The Bishop said that according to canonical law, every Bishop may not, in the territory of another diocese without the permission of the local Bishop to perform any actions.
“In our situation this means that the Bishop of the city of Constantinople, that is Istanbul, which is Patriarch Bartholomew, may not perform any actions on the territory of Kiev and Ukraine without the permission of the canonical Bishop of Kiev, which is Metropolitan Onufry, which permit the arrival of “exarchs” were not given. I have no doubt that if hypothetically our Synod appointed its Exarch to Turkey without approval from the Patriarch Bartholomew, the reaction of the latter would be identical to ours. Therefore, there is a double standard,” said the Bishop.
The DECR Chairman also refuted the thesis, the Archbishop of job that 10 years ago, namely in 2008, the Patriarch of Constantinople came to Kiev allegedly without an invitation, UOC, and it has not caused any resistance on the part of our Church.
“It is too true. An invitation from our Church it was then. Let me remind you the words of the commentary on this subject, then Chairman of the Department for external Church relations of the UOC Archimandrite Cyril (Hovorun), who told me that “Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew arrives in Ukraine at a dual invitation from the Church and the state. This Church invitation for him is a priority, as it could come to Ukraine without invitation from the President, but without a Church invitation for such a visit would be impossible.” It is a pity that today the Patriarchate of Constantinople behaves very differently,” said Bishop.
In his opinion, their statements, the representatives of the Patriarchate of Constantinople to demonstrate inconsistency.
“They think that the UOC is not sufficiently independent, but now they say that our Church does not have the right to defend their canonical territory. I would advise Fanaru to stay, and his representatives not to kindle fire in the media and not to compromise the Church by their actions and words. Will not be with them anticanonically, unfriendly and unilateral actions against us will not be on our side, and such a sharp reaction”, – he stressed.
As reported by PWC, informed the Holy Synod called Fanar to stop interfering in the internal Affairs of the UOC.