Over 600 church communities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate have joined the structure of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine since the beginning of the great war. This was announced by the head of the OCU, Metropolitan Epiphanius, in an informational telethon. The rapid process of religious transitions in Ukraine and how the Russian Church has deviated from Christian doctrine were discussed by a religious studies expert, Doctor of Philosophy, Professor at the H. Skovoroda Institute of Philosophy of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Lyudmila Fylypovych.
Source: Army FM
The Tomos on the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, signed by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Istanbul, is like an official certificate of birth, says religious studies expert Lyudmila Fylypovych.
"Now we are in the so-called diptych of Orthodox Churches. Now we can serve together with Constantinople and Alexandria. Perhaps we have not yet fully realized the importance of this event.
The Tomos effectively delegitimized the UOC MP in Ukraine, but relatively few church communities have so far switched to the OCU, and there are several reasons for this, says Lyudmila Fylypovych.
"Serious shifts need to take place in people's minds. It is not easy when you are still being told about one Slavic nation, one font in the waters of the Dnieper. First, you need to free yourself from stereotypes. Today, we are fighting for our historical memory. These are complex processes, not just of an ideological nature. The community needs to conceptualize the desire to change jurisdiction, correctly formalize documents, and come to government bodies to re-register their community. Therefore, communities need to take a colossal number of various steps.
As for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Lyudmila Fylypovych notes:
"Not everything is so simple within the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The Church changed its name long ago and removed 'Moscow Patriarchate' from its statutory documents. Undoubtedly, there are parishioners and priests who were brought up in Ukrainian national traditions. However, they still have not realized that they should be Ukrainian not only by name but Ukrainian in essence. It is necessary to clearly express your position, recognize your native Ukrainian Church and perceive it as self-sufficient, liberated from the influence of the Moscow Patriarchate, and this is not a deviation from Christian commandments.
According to Lyudmila Fylypovych, it is the Russian Church that has deviated from Christian doctrine by supporting the bloody Putin regime.
"How can it be considered Christian or even a religious organization when it has served the authorities for so many years? It's no wonder that over half a thousand Orthodox theologians from around the world have signed a document condemning Patriarch Kirill and his concept of the 'Russian world.' From the side of this Church, we see neither sympathy nor a desire to create peace.