UOC spokesman: There is no theological point in creation of the OCU

Archpriest Nikolai Danilevich. Photo: twitter

Archpriest Nikolai Danilevich, Deputy Head of the Department for External Church Relations of the UOC, stated in his telegram channel that there is no theological significance in the creation of the OCU and spoke about his recent visit to the Patriarchate of Antioch (on June 16-17).

According to Archpriest Nikolai Danilevich, Patriarch John of Antioch understands and supports the UOC, since the UOC and the Antioch Patriarchate have very similar problems – the creation of structures parallel to the Orthodox Church. But while in Syria parallel patriarchies arose as a result of their backsliding into heresy, then the OCU was created only to appease political ambitions of certain people.

“So here (in Ukraine – Ed.) the ‘OCU’ was created 2 years ago as a new parallel structure in relation to the ancient and canonical UOC. The head of this new structure puffs up and tries to usurp the title of 'Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine'. Moreover, this structure is also trying to steal the name of the canonical UOC ... But while in the Middle East the creation of these parallel patriarchates is explained by the fact that new structures fell away from the Church and arose as a result of their backsliding into heresy (changes in doctrine), then the creation of the ‘OCU’ (Orthodox by doctrine, but without apostolic succession) in Ukraine, where at that time the canonical UOC (Orthodox by doctrine, but with impeccable apostolic succession) was already there, has absolutely no theological and canonical significance. Except, perhaps, the political one in order to satisfy the ambitions of those who created this structure (Phanar, USA, Poroshenko),” wrote Archpriest Nikolai Danilevich. 

In Syria, in addition to the Orthodox Patriarch, there are Syro-Jacobite and Melchite patriarchs, while in Lebanon there are Armenian, Armenian Catholic and Maronite patriarchs – 6 patriarchs for two countries. Almost all of them, except for the Armenian, bear the title of "Antioch".

As the UOJ previously reported, Zoria said that without the efforts of Phanar, other Churches would not have recognized the OCU.

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