Patriarch Filaret Explains on What Condition He Can Leave Post of Primate

Patriarch Filaret said in an interview to RISU: “If the Ukrainian Church decides that I should leave the post of the primate, I can leave.”

The patriarch named the condition on which he can leave the post: “On condition that Ukraine gets one Orthodox Church recognized by other national churches. When the council of that unified and recognized national Ukrainian church decides that I should resign, I will do so.”

Patriarch Filaret said that his role will be fulfilled when the divided Ukrainian Church is unified and recognized by other national churches. “And I will be able to say that I have achieved what I sought, the unified and recognized national church. And if I hinder that church and it does not want me to be its head, I will leave quietly,” said Patriarch Filaret.

According to him, the Lord and Church will find a worthy person. “And the worthy person is not necessarily someone like me. When the Ukrainian Church is unified and recognized, it can be a quiet person and not a fighter. For there will be no need to struggle for unity and autocephaly! And when there is no one to struggle against, the general is not needed any more!” said the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate.