UOC-KP hierarch tells journalists why parishes leave the UOC-MP
On November 15, the hall of the diocesan administration of the Diocese of Kolomyia of the UOC-KP, hosted a meeting between Bishop Yulian of Kolomyia and Kosic with journalists of local mass media about the situation with the transition of parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate to the Diocese of Kolomyia of the Kyiv Patriarchate, reports "Religion in Ukraine", citing the website of the UOC-KP.
During the past years, the Orthodox communities of different denominations have been uniting under the omophorion of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate in Kolomyia.
After the mass transfer of the communities of the UAOC into the subordination of the Kyiv Patriarchate, the temples of the UOC of Moscow Patriarchate were also taken along. In October-November this year, the decision to join the Diocese of Kolomyia of the UOC-KP Patriarchate was adopted by the religious communities of the villages of Staryy Gvizdets and Chekhov, as well as by two parishes in the Gorodenivshchyna - Rogynya and Ostrivets. The bishop of Kolomyia of the UOC-KP personally met with several communities who decided to leve the UOC-MP.
These resonant events aroused the interest of journalists. At their request, Bishop Yulian of Kolomyia and Kosiv met with representatives of Kolomyian mass media.
Bishop Yulian has told that in each of the abovementioned temples, the Divine Liturgues in Ukrainian are already being performed, they are carried out by the priests of the Diocese of Kolomyia. Last Sunday, at the invitation of the community, the Bishop performed the hierarchical Liturgy at the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin of the village of Stariy Gvizdets, in the presence of hundreds of parishioners.
However, “a group of dissatisfied and newly arrived provocateurs tried to exacerbate the situation, but due to the presence and professionalism of Kolomyian police officers and their chief, Ostap Bileichuk, interfaith clashes were prevented,” the Biship said according to the UOC-KP website.
The meeting with journalists also touched upon the reasons that caused the activity of those communities that were inactive throughout the years of Independence. The bishop demonstrated documents proving the absolute voluntary nature of the transition of communities to the Kyiv Patriarchate.
It was stressed that “no temptation or any external influences on the decision of the Orthodox communities can be spoken about. All is happening in accordance with Ukrainian laws and the will of the parishioners,” said the website of the UOC-KP.
In conclusion, Bishop Yulian answered numerous questions by journalists.
