UOC-MP Refuses to Celebrate Baptism of Rus with Kyivan Patriarchate

KYIV – The Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) has no intention to hold events together with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate (UOC-KP) to celebrate the Day of Baptism of Rus, reports ukranews.com.

“Holding such events with non-canonical formations in Ukraine are impossible,” said the head of the Synodal Information and Education Department of the UOC-MP, Protopriest Heorhii Kovalenko.

Kovalenko noted that given the unregulated status of the UOC-KP, joint events can be received by believers poorly.

According to him, it is necessary first to settle the issue of unification of Ukrainian Orthodoxy.

Earlier, the head of the UOC-KP, Patriarch Filaret, noted that the UOC-KP would welcome celebration of the baptism of Rus together with the UOC-MP.

The UOC-KP also invited President Yanukovych to participate in the events organized by it to celebrate the Day of Baptism of Rus.