The Administration of the Eparchy of Kherson (Orthodox Church of Ukraine) expressed protest against the synodal decision of the ROC regarding the establishment of the so-called "Skadovsk Eparchy."
This was reported by the eparchy's press service.
"The territory of Ukraine is not the canonical territory of the ROC, and any decisions of the ROC regarding the territory of Kherson Oblast, which is a part of Ukraine as a sovereign independent state, have no authority," the Orthodox Church of Ukraine stated.
The Kherson Eparchy of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine called on the leadership headed by Metropolitan Onufriy (Berezovsky) of the church structure in Ukraine to voice their official position regarding the establishment of the phantom "Skadovsk Eparchy" by the ROC.
"We especially urge Metropolitan Ioann (Siopko), who heads a religious association in Kherson Oblast, part of which was annexed by the synodal decision of the ROC on December 27 this year, cynically citing his inactivity in the conditions of the occupation of part of Kherson Oblast. We ask him to comment on the statement of his subordinate clergy: 'We have always understood and realized that canonically and spiritually, we are part of that large and strong family in which the earthly and Heavenly—Russian Orthodox Church—have united,'" the Orthodox Church of Ukraine emphasized.
"The silence of the hierarchs serving in Ukraine and listed as bishops of the Moscow Patriarchate in the official 2024 calendar pages of the ROC is unacceptable. Such silence is a sign of consent to the aggressor, evidence of subservience and submission of those who call themselves the 'UOC' to the Moscow center.
The articulated clear position and protest, if there is one, on this issue would allow us to jointly resist the spiritual aggression of the ROC and Russia towards Ukraine," stressed the Eparchy of Kherson of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine."