SPOKESMAN FOR UPTsKP NAMES WHOM THIS CHURCH SEES FOR THE POST OF PRIMATE OF AN AUTOCEPHALOUS UPTs
Regarding who may head the autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UPTs), the press secretary of the UPTsKP, Archbishop Evstraty, spoke during a web conference at RISU on the topic: "Ukrainian Orthodoxy on way to tomos of autocephaly."
"Without a doubt, our church sees Patriarch Filaret as the primate of the autocephalous UPTs; after all he is the only one of the bishops who has the most experience and public authority. Also, key persons among bishops, who do not now belong to the Kiev patriarchate, should join the leadership.
"To forestall possible speculation, in which our opponents love to engage, I want to emphasize: there are no reservations, objections, or other conditions on the part of Constantinople that would make it impossible to elect Patriarch Filaret as the primate of the autocephalous UPTs.
"I would also like to recall that from the point of view of canonical procedure, Patriarch Filaret was not convicted by a valid church court and proper procedure regarding him was not observed. Therefore sanctions on the part of the Russian Orthodox Church (RPTs) regarding him have been invalid from the start. All appropriate information about this matter is at the disposal of the ecumenical patriarchate, including a canonical appeal to the ecumenical patriarch regarding the decision of the RPTs.
"It should also be emphasized that the canonical line of apostolic succession for practically all bishops who should constitute the autocephalous UPTs proceeds from Patriarch Filaret, and therefore it is impossible to recognize these bishops without recognizing the invalidity of the decision of the RPTs against Patriarch Filaret," Archbishop Evstraty said.
He said that everything will be finally agreed after the decision of the ecumenical patriarch and synod about the tomos, when its official proclamation will be conducted. (tr. by PDS, posted 24 May 2018)
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