Drabinko: Romanian Church does not recognize OCU due to diplomatic issues

"Metropolitan" of the OCU Alexander Drabinko in the cathedral of the ROC in Brussels. Photo: Facebook

Alexander Drabinko, former metropolitan of the UOC, who joined the OCU, stated in his interview with Telegraf that the Romanian Orthodox Church allegedly set a condition under which it would recognize the Dumenko-led structure.

Discussing the prospects of recognition of the OCU by Local Churches, Drabinko lingered on the situation with the Romanian Orthodox Church.

According to him, "it did not ask any theological or canonical obstacles or questions at all," but "set only one condition."

The former metropolitan of the UOC said that this condition was the creation of a Romanian vicariate for the Romanian-speaking population of Ukraine.

"The vicariate was created, but unfortunately, I don't understand why a vicar has not been appointed there for five years. It is legally, canonically formalized, but not personalized," Alexander Drabinko said.

In his opinion, the problem lies in "elementary diplomacy," which "could have been solved already today."

As the UOJ wrote, the OCU has been drumming up Romanian-speaking parishes of the UOC to join its vicariate and even decided to study the Romanian language to improve communications.

So far, no Romanian-speaking community has joined the Romanian vicariate of the OCU. The transition of these communities is much more difficult than expected in this structure, primarily due to the language barrier, believes "hierarch" of the OCU Feognost.

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