UOC (MP) head prohibits disclosing information about Church’s internal life
In a report on December 28, at the annual meeting of the Kyiv Diocese Metropolitan Onufriy underscored the fact that the clergymen of the UOC (MP) should be extremely careful, avoid creating conflicts and pay maximum attention to their flock.
Referring to current challenges, the UOC (MP) head outlined the new challenges for the clergy of this Church.
“Today we are all evidence an open-planned information war being waged against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by means of unverified and sometimes frankly slanderous information.
Such actions lead to greater tension in society and threaten the internal security and stability in the country. Therefore the outreach in parishes aimed at refuting false information is highly important. And of course, our own life and ministry shall not to give the slightest grounds for the public or journalists’ debate. One should be extremely careful, avoid creating conflicts, paying the utmost attention to the flock.
At last year's meeting, we paid attention to the behavior of clergymen on the Internet websites and social networks. It is good that many priests use internet resources for missionary purposes. However, once again I have to emphasize disclosure of information relating to the internal life of the Church, the orders of the hierarchs is inadmissible,” the Metropolitan asserts in his report.
In order to avoid conflicts, during the meeting, communicating with the clergy in question-answer format, Metropolitan Onufriy permitted not to remember Patriarch Kirill during the service. He explained that this could be practiced where a commemoration causes extreme outrage of people.
The Metropolitan also referred in his report to hostilities in the east of Ukraine: “Many people have not returned to their homes, while others - have returned wounded. In addition, many IDPs have found temporary accommodation in the towns and villages of Kyiv region. All these people find themselves in a difficult situation and need help and support as children of our Holy Mother Church. We have no right to judge or give a political assessment of current events, but must lend a helping hand to all the needy and their families. That is what I am calling for.”
The UOC (MP) Primate noted that the training of military clergymen would be carried out in the Diocese of Kyiv as well as in other dioceses of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
