'As long as the UOC-MP is headed by Onufriy, there will be no change,' - abbot of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra

This was stated in an interview on Priamyi TV channel by the abbot of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Bishop Avrahamiy of Boryspil of the OCU, Religiyna Pravda reports.

When asked whether it is realistic for the UOC-MP to move away from subordination to Moscow, the bishop said that all it takes is a desire.

“You know, if there was a desire (for it is the main thing in the life of every person) they could change everything, realize everything. If they do not want this, it will not happen. Their leader, Metropolitan Onufriy, who was formed as a man of pro-Moscow Orthodoxy, will never make any concessions or negotiations,” said the hierarch of the OCU.

He emphasized that as long as Metropolitan Onufriy leads the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, there will be no changes.

When asked whether there would be changes if Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanych) becomes the successor, Bishop Avrahamiy gave a negative answer.

“If we are talking about the Ukrainian wing and the Russian wing, then if someone from the Ukrainian wing succeeds Metropolitan Onufriy, there will be certain hopes that the unification will take place. As for the Russian wing, of course, these people will never negotiate under any circumstances,” Avrahamiy said.

According to him, despite the fact that Metropolitan Epifaniy recently offered Metropolitan Onufriy to hold a dialogue once again, one should not expect a reaction from the UOC-MP.

“As we understand, they will come up with a thousand reasons for this dialogue not to take place, knowing their rhetoric, knowing their moods,” said the abbot of the Lavra.