Metropolitan Onufriy is a decelerator oшn the process of granting autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. This opinion was expressed by Metropolitan Oleksandr (Drabinko) of Pereyaslavl and Vishneve on the air of the Suspilne TV channel.
Source: Spiritual Front of Ukraine
"In the year of 1990, the Local Council called for granting autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. But this event was postponed. Vladyka Onufriy, Sergiy and Alipiy withdrew their votes, and they are, in fact, the first brake on the process and the beginning of the schism that began in the 90ies," the Metropolitan of the OCU said.
He recalled examples of healing the Bulgarian split. "There was also anathema, and all were excommunicated, but accepted in real dignity. In particular, the Moscow Patriarch agreed to that event. We know that the anathema that was imposed on Filaret is political," His Eminence said.
Earlier, in a comment for liga.net Metropolitan Oleksqndr said that as the Tomos was granted to the OCU, it became even better to see that the Russian Orthodox Church wants to take the lead in Orthodoxy.
"Thanks to Patriarch Bartholomew and the Tomos, a boil with which there have long been problems was revealed in world Orthodoxy as a scalpel. Many people knew about it, but did not want to speak out loud – this is the lack of Pan-Orthodox unity, which Moscow violated because it wants to take the lead in Orthodoxy. That is, Moscow's papism has finally floated to the surface," Metropolitan Oleksandr said.
He added that in 2021, the OCU might recognize several more Orthodox Churches.
"Let everything go its own way. But two or four churches may recognize Constantinople's actions in Ukraine next year. None of the Churches, except the Russian Orthodox Church, has yet said that it categorically would not recognize autocephaly," the Metropolitan of the OCU stressed.