Vinnitsa Eparchial Council condemns unauthorized assembly of clergy

Eparchial Council of the Vinnitsa eparchy

On November 20, a session of the Eparchial Council chaired by Metropolitan Simeon of Vinnitsa and Bar was held in the Vinnitsa eparchy. According to the press service of the eparchy, the main topic was the recent events that took place in Vinnitsa and had a negative resonance in the church and public environment.

“The Eparchial Council categorically condemned the unauthorized assemblies held in the Vinnitsa eparchy in violation of church canons, namely the 39th rule of the Holy Apostles, which resulted in the spread of gossip and slander against the eparchy’s hierarchy, which brought temptation into the church environment,” the statement said.

The Eparchial Council also stated that the Resolution of the Bishops’ Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, taken on November 13, 2018, is a document binding on all bishops, clergy and laity of the UOC and confirmed its readiness to comply with the Resolution by the entire Vinnitsa eparchy.

In addition, the Eparchial Council approved the agenda of the general meeting of the clergy of the Vinnitsa eparchy of the UOC and scheduled its date for December 5.

The day before, the initiative group of clergymen of the Vinnitsa eparchy declared its support for Metropolitan Simeon. Vladyka Simeon assured the clergy that he was going to follow the Resolution of the Bishops’ Council of the UOC, which he did not sign since he did not agree with the clauses about breaking the Eucharistic communion with the Patriarchate of Constantinople and the necessity to repent for Ukrainian schismatics.

As the UOJ reported, on November 15, an emergency meeting of the clergy was held in Vinnitsa, at which the UOC clerics fully supported Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine and sent an appeal to Metropolitan Simeon of Vinnitsa and Bar, signed by 42 clerics. Then the clergymen of the Bar Deanery declared their full support for His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry and readiness to comply with the decisions of the Bishops' Council of the UOC.

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