Metropolitan Volodymyr, the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate, said in an interview to the newspaper Dzerkalo Tyzhnia that he does not question the honesty of his secretary, Archbishop Oleksandr (Drabynko).
Metropolitan Volodymyr, the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate, said in an interview to the newspaper Dzerkalo Tyzhnia that he does not question the honesty of his secretary, Archbishop Oleksandr (Drabynko). RISU’s Ukrainian-language web page posted this story on February 25.
In answer to the question about the dismissal of Archbishop Oleksandr from his position, exclusion from the Synod and accusations "of artificial opposing of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to its Head, which is slander against the collective mind of the Church and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit," Metropolitan Volodymyr said:
"Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a very serious thing. One must not fling about such phrases. It is beneath criticism. One must not trifle with such things.
"As for his dismissal from his position, the Synod has decreed so. The Synod has a right to decide his fate in the interests of the church.
"My personal attitude to that person has not changed. I have known him for a very long time. He has done a lot of laudable things for the church despite his young age, and I believe he will do more. His honesty is undoubted."