"It feels like there is a war going on between reason and madness, between adequacy and zombification, between Ukrainian Orthodoxy and Russian obscurantism," Ivan Sydor, a priest and assistant secretary of the Diocese of Kyiv of the OCU, described the resistance of the UOC-MP against the arrival of Patriarch Bartholomew in Ukraine on the Independence Day of Ukraine.
He wrote about this in his blog on Gazeta.ua.
"Here and there I meet photos on the web where citizens of Ukraine stand with placards "Bartholomew, we didn't call you". Of course, it is written in a "universally understood language". With the blessing of their hierarchs, the priests of the Russian Orthodox Church broadcast video messages calling for a boycott and protests in connection with the arrival of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Ukraine," writes the priest, who is also called the "bell ringer of the Maidan".
He notes that Patriarch Bartholomew is going to Ukraine at the invitation of the president of Ukraine and Metropolitan Epifaniy, that this is a historic visit for Ukraine, and the branch of the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine, which for some reason continues to be called the "Ukrainian Orthodox Church", has a non-canonical status in Ukraine:
"Its primate, Metropolitan Onufriy of Kyiv, has no right to be called "Metropolitan of Kyiv". Just as there can't be two presidents in one country, so there can't be two Primates in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. So, we have a blatant disregard by the Moscow church for Orthodox canons."
Fr. Ivan Sydor also recalls that the Moscow Metropolitans have been natives of Ukraine for centuries:
"Let's take the example of the first Metropolitan of Moscow, Petr Ratensky (1260-1326). He moved the Metropolitan see from Vladimir-on-Klyazma to Moscow. The Holy Hierarch Petr Ratensky himself comes from Volyn. He is considered the heavenly patron saint of Moscow. How do you like it? A man who is originally from Volyn is the patron saint of Moscow. And it's official. So, the pro-Russian fathers and believers must not shout whom they called to Ukraine and whom they did not. If you look at this whole story fairly, then we, the Ukrainians, did not call the invaders to our land. And the occupation is not only weapons and bullets but the Russification of Ukrainians, the transformation into Lesser Russians deprived of the right to think and speak out."
Therefore, Frt Sidor calls for unity around the single Kyivan throne.
"Isn't it better to be the master of your own land, have your own independent and truly Ukrainian Primate and pray in the autocephalous Ukrainian church? Or is it a matter of principle for you to remember at each Divine service, not your own, Ukrainian Primate, but Kirill of Moscow? Can he ever be a "master' to us, Ukrainians? Isn't it enough for you to have the Imperial Russian evil that has fallen on the fate of millions of Ukrainians over all these centuries? Have you forgotten the words of our Prophet: "Blind people head to the villein service, taking their children with them"? How long will you remain serfs and Lesser Russians?" the priest of the OCU asks.