Kyivan Patriarchate Responds to Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church

The Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate (UOC-KP) published its response to the Address of the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) to the Orthodox Christians of Ukraine Outside the Unity with the Holy Church. The statement of the Synod of the UOC-KP was passed on July 27. The Kyivan Patriarchate expressed its regret over the "non-constructive position" of the Synod of the ROC on the church situation in Ukraine. The members of the Synod of the UOC-KP stressed that "in Ukraine, there is no church schism but only a divide according to jurisdiction (subordination)."

"Against the background of the progress in the work of overcoming the church division in Ukraine, which was made as the result of the activity of the work teams of the Kyivan Patriarchate and the UOC-MP on preparing a dialogue, the position held by the Holy Synod of the ROC at its session on July 26, 2010, as to the church situation in Ukraine is non-constructive. In its ‘address,’ the Synod of the ROC actually repeated the fruitless rhetoric proclaimed by the Moscow Patriarchate regarding the church situation in Ukraine 10-15 years ago, as if nothing has changed over these years and as if it not having any prospects has not become obvious," reads the statement.

The document stresses that the address of the Synod of the ROC has nothing to do with the Kyivan Patriarchate. "It, as the national Ukrainian Orthodox Church, is an integral part of the One Holy Ecumenical Apostolic Church, despite the fact that the ROC and some churches, which are holding the same views, do not recognize it so far," stressed the bishops of the UOC-KP.

The only possible and acceptable way of overcoming the church division in Ukraine is "by forgetting the current disputes and recognizing the autocephaly of the national Ukrainian Orthodox Church," the authors said.

The statement of the Synod of UOC-KP says that the Synod of ROC manipulates the conscience of the faithful.

According to the UOC-KP, it becomes clear that the representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate "do not want a constructive dialogue to overcome the division within the Ukrainian Church, but they want to start the systematic destruction of the Kyiv Patriarchate under the pretext of 'changes of political circumstances' and are trying to involve the Ukrainian authorities in this," the document said. The members of the synod expressed hope that the "state will invariably repel such encroachments on the foundations of the constitutional system, rights of the citizens of Ukraine, social peace and agreement."

According to the press service of the UOC-KP, the Kyivan Patriarchate did not hear any response to the numerous questions included in the previous addresses to the Moscow Patriarchate.