Ukrainian dissenters nourish the hope of respect for their Constantinople
The Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC) now conducts dialogues with the Patriarchate of Constantinople on its acceptance in its jurisdiction, and in the case of " legitimation " Raskolnikov this can lead to a massive shift from the ROC anti-minded Orthodox believers. This opinion was expressed by the expert, the rector of the Minsk theological Academy and Seminary, Alexander Slesarev at the international conference " the Religious situation in Ukraine in the fall ".
Today in Ukraine there are 3 Orthodox patterns, of which only one - the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate is canonical and recognized by all the local Orthodox Churches in the world. Other two Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate (UOC-KP) and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC) - with the support of the political authorities for more than 2 decades require recognition of their legitimacy.
" The Ukrainian Autocephalous Church now - this I know from personal communication with a fairly prominent representatives of the UAOC - conducting serious conversations with Ecumenical Patriarchate and waits in favorable conditions, mainly political, making it the jurisdiction of Constantinople, " said Slesarev at the Symposium at the Russian Institute of strategic studies (RISS).
As said the specialist, in the current situation, the growth of anti-Russian sentiment in Ukraine is not obliged to provoke an Exodus of believers and clergy from the jurisdiction of the UOC-MP, As in this case, an alternative to the Orthodox are only staying in the division organization. However, according to Slesareva, " the situation may change radically, if Ukraine will occur canonical alternative to the Moscow Patriarchate.
" in that case, the gap with the ROC for the Orthodox Ukrainians will not be associated with the inevitable isolation from the Ecumenical Orthodoxy, but will be merely replaced the ecclesiastical jurisdiction without evasion in split. The only serious alternative to the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine has the opportunity to be the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which for the last 90 years has disputed the Russian Orthodox Church the right to lead the Church life not only within Ukraine, but equally in Belarus and the Baltic States ", - said the expert.
Slesarev recalled that In the last 25 years the Ecumenical Patriarchate three times carried out the invasion zone of the canonical responsibility of the Russian Orthodox Church. Thus, in 1990 and 1995 without coordination with the Russian Orthodox Church in the Patriarchate of Constantinople adopted the Canadian and American Metropolia of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Church. Similarly, in 1995, on the square in Estonia with the assistance of the authorities of this state was established by the Metropolitan of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, existing in parallel with the self-governing of the Estonian Orthodox Church under the jurisdiction of the ROC.
" The negative reaction of the hierarchy of the ROC to the above actions of the Patriarchate of Constantinople did not encourage the leadership of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the change of the vector of external Church policy. This fact gives grounds to assume in relation to the possible involvement of Constantinople in the confessional situation within modern Ukraine - historical centre of the Kyiv metropolis, " says the speaker.
The UAOC in 2009, has already announced its desire to enter into the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the rights of the Autonomous Archdiocese, and since the summer of 2010, a Religious organization introduced mandatory liturgical commemoration in her community name of the Patriarch of Constantinople. Like autocephalists ", Kyiv Patriarchate Also expects Constantinople " confessions own canonicity ". Local councils KP twice, in 1992 and 2001, appealed to the Patriarch of Constantinople to petition for recognition proclaimed first Church of independence, reminded Slesarev.
" Existing between nakanokimi Ukrainian Churches separation is largely a deterrent to the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which since 1992 has stated many times about the readiness to participate in the resolution of the Ukrainian Church issue only in case of consolidation of the Ukrainian Orthodox ", - the expert believes. He considers it possible that in the foreseeable future can be a uniting of the UOC-KP and the UAOC, which can be for them to open a new page in relations with the Patriarchate of Constantinople ".
according to the information that led the participant of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate in January 2013 there were 12 thousand 806 communities of the UOC-KP - 4685 communities, the UAOC was 1247 ward, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) - 3917. So, in a state of schism with the Ecumenical Orthodoxy was about 31% of the Ukrainian Orthodox communities.
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