Observations on the Orthodox Church of Ukraine & the Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Church
Founder and First Director of the Sheptytsky Institute, Fr. Andriy Chirovsky shares his thoughts on the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Church. Fr. Andriy reflects on President Zelensky, His Beatitude Filaret, Epiphanius I of Ukraine, the relationship between the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada (UOCC) and Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA.
Partial transcript
– We have a new situation in Ukraine and there are certain things that need to be watched
– 0:10 We have a new President of Ukraine who is not an Orthodox Christian. The fact that he is a non-Christian could be very good for Ukraine. It protects the Orthodox Church of Ukraine from “accidentally” falling into the same trap that the Moscow Patriarchate has fallen into, i.e. too cozy with the Russian government
– 1:30 Jewish President and the early years of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine
– 1:59 Problems with Patriarch Filaret, same headgear as Moscow Patriarch. Why imitate what Moscow is doing if you need to escape Moscow? The Orthodox Church must find its own way and not follow the Moscow model
– 3:20 Moscow exerts its influence worldwide with threats, enticements, financial means. This is not a healthy model
– 4:05 Second issue: Relationship between His Holiness and Beatitude Filaret, Honorary Patriarch and His Beatitude Epiphanius, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine
– 4:25 Filaret: Certain behaviour weakens the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, puts things into jeopardy.
– 6:02 Bizarre title “Honorary Patriarch” does not exist in Orthodox ecclesiology. Hopefully we can gently change this. It’s about the faithful in the church, not Filaret. Humility to step into the shadows and let Epiphanius grow into the position, to be his own man
– 8:35 The title will come. The UGCC had the same problem. Josyf Cardinal Slipyj. We moved through two phases: 1) Chronic agitation for the patriarchal title, 2) Consolidate the working of the church, make sure the church functions effectively
– 10:00 Periodically we raise this with the Pope in Rome. In time it will come.
– 11:00 Focus on Epiphanius to grow into the position and be his own man, to get himself oriented, he has to get a hand and feel comfortable in running the church
– 12:02 How will the Orthodox Church of Ukraine fit into The All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations?
– 13:15 Will the Orthodox Church set itself up as an eccumenically open church?
– 15:18 Relationship with the Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Church. The two together could put forward a fresh perspective on Orthodox-Uniat relations and to continue the work of the Kyivan Church Study Group. Now we have a new opening, reignite the dialogue and show the world that we are not in a defensive mode, but exploring relationships, how to respect one another and to lead the way for other churches.
– 17:39 Patriarchate of Antioch wholesome relationship with the Melkite Greek Catholic Church
– 18:00 Too much ideology gets in the way of understanding, connecting at a human level. The church is made of human beings and we need to function at the human level
– 21:05 The Pope of Rome has 1.2 billion faithful and his voice is important, international influence
– 21:35 Relationship of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada (Winnipeg) and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA (Bound Brook) are not part of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. This is an ecclesiological issue, an issue of the understanding of the theology of what church is. Exclaves of churches in other countries is not kosher in Orthodox ecclesiology
– 23:30 Charter of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Thorny issues. Average Ukrainian Orthodox in Canada or the United States did not expect this
– 24:35 His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Patriarch of Kyiv-Galicia
– 24:50 In the Catholic communion, there is not only the Roman Church, there are 23 other churches that use their own liturgical systems. They have their own theology, liturgy, spirituality, canonical tradition
– 25:25 The Roman Church is very different from the Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Church which is basically an Orthodox Church which happens communion with Rome
– 25:50 In Orthodox communion everyone uses the same Byzantine liturgical tradition, acknowledge the same theology, spirituality and canon law. Apples and oranges – one can’t compare
– 28:30 English language usage. Better pastoral planning to meet the needs of the people. We need to know where our people are. Meet people on the street. Why did you stop attending church?
– 30:12 Some people respond “The Church does not challenge me. It’s too easy.” It’s important to meet the needs of the people
– 30:55 Parishes of Moscow Patriarchate: Will they continue to reorganize into the UOC? Pace? Position of Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine. These are the things we need to keep an eye on
– 32:15 Kyivan Church Study Group is one possible way to proceed with eccumenical dialogue. Areas where the UOC and UGCC can work together: charity (not as a method of proselytism). Give freely as you received freely
– 34:15 Theological schools should be working together: lectures, guest professors, team taught courses, study trip to the Holy Land or the footsteps of St. Paul across the Mediterranean including Rome
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