Finnish Orthodox Church primate discontented with opening of UOC parishes

The head of the FOC, Archbishop Leo, supported the granting of autocephaly to the OCU. Photo: 2018 with P. Poroshenko. President's website

The Archbishop of Helsinki and all Finland questioned the assertion that UOC parishes in Finland are being established to meet the spiritual needs of Ukrainians and stated that such activity does not benefit either Ukrainians or anyone else. This was reported on the FOC website.

"The Church under the leadership of Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv, which has founded more than 80 communities in Western Europe since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression, has begun actively seeking a foothold in Finland, citing the spiritual needs of Ukrainians. Metropolitan Onuphry appointed Archimandrite Photius as the official representative of his church in Finland," the statement says.

The head of the Finnish Church, which is under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, states that the establishment of representations of other Orthodox Churches on their autonomous territory is unacceptable and contradicts canonical law.

"I have informed Archimandrite Photius of this and instructed the parishes of my diocese to refrain from communion with him," the hierarch writes.

According to him, "the activities of Archimandrite Photius are harmful from all sides" and also undermine "the unity of our Church and do not serve the interests of Ukrainians or anyone else."

He also calls on all Ukrainians to join the life of the parishes of the Finnish Orthodox Church.

As reported by the UOJ, the Hierarchical Synod of the Finnish Church (Ecumenical Patriarchate) decided to use the bodies of the deceased for medical experiments and organ donation.

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