Moscow Patriarchate seeks to establish a separate structure for the UOC-MP parishes abroad, - Fr. Cyril Hovorun

Archimandrite Cyril Hovorun, a well-known theologian and lecturer at Western universities, shared this information in an interview with Glavkom.

According to Cyril Hovorun, the UOC-MP is actively expanding, with over a hundred parishes in Western European countries. They exploit their ambiguous status, which emerged after May 2022 when they claimed a change in their Statute, seemingly freeing themselves from Moscow's authority. However, they did not completely sever ties with Moscow, entering a gray canonical zone without clear rules, using this to develop their structures. They have entered into conflicts with traditional structures in Western European countries, refusing cooperation with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which they do not recognize due to the severance of Eucharistic communion between the Russian Orthodox Church and Constantinople.

Archimandrite Cyril Hovorun noted that even the Russian Orthodox Church abroad, while part of the Russian Orthodox Church, is somewhat detached and not explicitly supportive of the war, attempting to remain neutral. However, it strongly opposes the establishment of UOC-MP parishes, which compete with existing Russian Orthodox Church parishes.

The Moscow Patriarchate is reportedly obstructing the development of the UOC-MP in Western Europe, actively discouraging local Catholics from allowing UOC-MP to operate. The UOC-MP is facing isolation and obstruction from Orthodox Churches operating in Western Europe.

Furthermore, there is no uniform policy or attitude toward the UOC-MP from the authorities of each country. The UOC-MP manages to expand and increase the number of parishes through the support of sponsors, including Ukrainian migrants who provide assistance both from their host countries and European nations. Funds are allocated for the religious needs of refugees through legal schemes, with communities forming around UOC-MP and seeking financial support from local church councils.

The overall extent of the movement of UOC-MP parishioners in Europe is challenging to determine, as there are no social surveys. Cyril Hovorun emphasized that, given the current priorities of people – focused on physical survival, settlement, and employment – religious life may not be their primary concern.