In an Interview to Novynar Patriarch Lubomyr Assured That the Union of Churches is Possible

KYIV – “Since the problem has existed for dozens, hundreds of years, it will not be resolved by one decision. Even though the situation requires internal change, it is possible,” responded Patriarch Lubomyr (Husar), the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) when asked whether the dialogue on the unity of Orthodoxy under President Yanukovych will reach a dead end, in an interview to the online newspaper Novynar. The interview, which was conducted by the journalist Olha Zhyla, is currently being prepared to be posted online, but in the meantime the Information Department of the UGCC has posted some of the main points.

“The matter needs to be approached from a wider angle. There are people of all confessions who will at least reach an understanding, and in time rapprochement. Processes can either be temporary or long-term. This needs to be remembered instead of thinking that if presently there is no success, then world has fallen apart,” said the patriarch.

When asked his position on the friendship between President Yanukovych and the Russian Patriarch Kirill, Patriarch Lubomyr said that at the time when in Russia the Russian Orthodox Church is closely connected to what is happening in the state, the Ukrainian tradition is different. In the opinion of the head of the UGCC, the church in Ukraine is a partner of the state, but not in its service, as is accepted in the neighboring state that follows the Byzantium-Tatar example: “We have to understand what it is good for our church, which, unfortunately, is divided but grew from the same root: Volodymyr, Askold, Clement. The church is us. And we have to look at ourselves and think what is best for us. Politicians have their reasoning, and the church has its own. Politicians were replaced, but the church is still the same. Politicians have to understand that there are the values that cannot be touched,” said Patriarch Lubomyr.

The UGCC’s vision of how the churches of Volodymyr’s Baptism can be unified is presented in its synodal message released on the occasion of the 20^th anniversary of the legalization of the UGCC, the 65^th anniversary of the death of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky, and the 25^th anniversary of the death of Patriarch Joseph Slipyj. The message reads: “Instead of the monopoly over Christian Ukraine, which was a characteristic of the past, we suggest the Ecclesiastic Communion unity of the today’s divided Kyivan Church. However, this unity, in order to bring peace and understanding to Ukraine has to grow from within, in the bosom of every branch of the Kyivan Church. This process began in 1989 and became a determining landmark in the life of both the Greek Catholic and Orthodox communities in Ukraine. This way will not be simple, it will experience oscillation and maybe retreats, but, as our history testifies, it is indivertible because it embraces sacrifice and martyrdom, strength of spirit and the height of thoughts, fire of faith and sincerity of prayer.”