UOC KP: There is no “neutralizing” Filaret

“Honorary Patriarch” of OCU Filaret Denisenko. Photo:interesniy-kiev.livejournal.com

No one will succeed in halting the movement of the Ukrainian nation towards the restoration of the patriarchal structure. This is said in a communiqué, published on May 21, 2019 by the press center of the "Kiev Patriarchate" in response to the "provocative comments on the ‘neutralization’ of His Holiness Patriarch Filaret of Kiev and all Rus-Ukraine under the Moscow scenario", made by Viktor Yelensky, the President of the Ukrainian Association of Religious Freedom, MP of Ukraine (faction “Popular Front”).

“It’s not only about the brutal form, tendentiousness and generally mediocre style of Mr. Yelensky’s statements that raise questions,” the UOC KP statement said. “The very fact of ‘advice’ like ‘reverting’ Patriarch Filaret or putting him ‘on the retired list’ etc is a direct interference in the internal affairs of the Church, which is separated from the state.”

The "patriarchy" stressed: "stopping" Filaret will not work out.

“We can relieve the pro-Moscow ‘fifth column’ in Ukraine, various ‘religious experts’ who express destructive ideas in relation to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (OCU – Ed.), as well as other supporters of the ‘Russian world’: it will not be possible to ‘neutralize’ His Holiness the Patriarch. It worked neither in 1992, nor will it work now. It is not possible to stop the movement of the Ukrainian nation to restore its own patriarchal structure and the primordial rights and freedoms belonging to the canonically recognized autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church,” summed up the “patriarchy”.

Earlier, in his commentary to the Obozrevatel (Observer) outlet, Viktor Yelensky stated that the OCU should not ignore the actions of Filaret.

“People, who are familiar with the activities of the metropolitan and then patriarch Filaret, asked to tell metropolitan Epiphany that the situation with Filaret would not resolve by itself, that he would attack in all azimuths. The tactics or strategy, according to which you can simply ignore it, will not work out. He will hit the most vulnerable places,” said the MP.

In his opinion, it’s necessary “to thank Filaret for his work, retire him, and especially forbid him to ordain new priests and bishops. Because if he now starts ordaining, there’ll be hell to pay.”

As the UOJ reported, on May 14, 2019, Filaret Denisenko performed a solemn “worship service” at the St. Vladimir Cathedral, during which he announced the continuation of the struggle for the Ukrainian Church, independent of Moscow and Constantinople. The next day, he gave a big press conference, during which he voiced his complaints about “metropolitan” Epiphany, Petro Poroshenko, the “Unification Council” and the statute of the OCU.

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