Metropolitan Makariy (Maletych): unification council may fail to occur

UAOC Primate Makariy (Maletych) suggests that the announced unification with the Kyiv Patriarchate may fail to occur. The reason is that the UOC-KP, as Metropolitan Makariy claims, does not agree that a combined name of the church shall include the word ‘autocephalous’. The UAOC, in turn, disagrees with the principle of representative delegates to the unification council, whereby theirclergymen will have fewer votes.

UAOC Primate Makariy (Maletych) was reported as saying this in an interview with Liga Business Inform.

“Now the UAOC demands are quite moderate:making a combined name of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church-Kyiv Patriarchate and leaving all bishops in their place, and then we’ll see. It would be a real step towards the establishment of a local church, a step to unification. But that is not going to happen,” he said.

“It is not going to happen, as patriarch Filaret has already stated in an interview, there will be no combined name. He wants to retain their name –the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kyiv Patriarchate, while we are just to join. Last week a joint commission agreed that the final decision would be madeat the unification council on September14. If the representation at the Council were 50 to 50, there would be no questions. However, if it isthe proportion suggested, based on parishes, they will be four hundred and we will be two hundred. What kind of decision will it be?” the hierarch continues.

Metropolitan Makariy says that now, in the follow-up of this Patriarch Filaret’s interview, the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church will hold a new diocesan meeting.

"If the majority of priests and parishioners take part in them and say they are ready to unite even under such Filaret’s conditions, on the basis of quota –be it so... If the diocesan council decide bymajority vote not to support such a quota, it may fail to happen,” the clergyman said.

“Negotiations on a combined title will continue. I was ready for this. In Lviv, Rivne, Volyn regions I offered to answer three questions at the meeting. Would you agree to unite with the UOC-KP? Everyone said yes. Do you agree, as it as originally proposed and the government supported that the Kyiv Patriarchate will be the official name and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church will be the unofficial one? No one supported. Do you agree to combine names? Everyone said yes, both at deanery and diocesan meetings,”UAOC Primate says.