Clergy in Donetsk region ready to move to OCU

In Donetsk region, there is a percentage of priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate who will go to the Local Orthodox Church of Ukraine, if the Tomos is received on January 6.

On December 21, Archbishop Serhiy of Donetsk and Mariupol announced it at a meeting with journalists, as reported by ZIK which cited the press service of the Donetsk military and civilian regional administration.

“There is a percentage of the priests who will come to us immediately, but after we have 100% received the Tomos,” said Archbishop Serhiy.

He added, “To date, taking into account just the Diocese of Donetsk, Donetsk Oblast, we have seen in the last four days -- especially during the celebration of St. Nicholas the Miracle-Worker -- that the priests of our Church called me and said that a large number of people, ordinary parishioners joined our Church. I believe that this is already a small victory.”

The Archbishop noted that there were no positive meetings of the hierarchs, although the clergy from the Orthodox churches of the Moscow Patriarchate came to him with their questions, testing the waters.

"The clergymen came to me ... About half a month ago I met with four priests of the Moscow Patriarchate. They came, as they say, on reconnaissance,” said the archbishop.