UPTsMP SCUTTLES MEETING WITH POROSHENKO
The Bishops' Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate is ready to hold a meeting with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, but only on church territory.
The Department of Information and Enlightenment of the UPTsMP reported that a corresponding declaration was adopted at a session of the council.
The document also explains that the council decided to meet with the head of state, not in Ukraine House but on the territory of the Kiev caves lavra, which was immediately communicated to the president. However, as the UPTsMP confirms, Poroshenko rejected the meeting.
In addition, it was noted that the episcopate assembled in the Kiev caves lavra on the agreed date, 13 November, under the chairmanship of the head of the UPTsMP, Metropolitan Onufrey.
"On the same day, an extraordinary session of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was held, which made the decision to convene a Bishops' Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church," the statement says.
As Obosrevatel reported, the UPTsKP has
declared that the
Moscow patriarchate carried out a demarche by conducting a
session of the
Bishops' Council at the time scheduled for a meeting with
President Petro
Poroshenko. (tr. by PDS, posted 13 November 2018)
PLANNED DEMARCHE: BISHOPS OF UPTsMP GATHERED IN COUNCIL INSTEAD OF MEETING WITH PRESIDENT
Instead of a meeting with the president scheduled for 13 November at 2:00 p.m., bishops of the UPTsMP assembled in a Bishops' Council.
The session is being held on the territory of the Holy Dormition Kiev caves lavra, under the chairmanship of His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev and all-Ukraine Onufrey, the Department of Information and Enlightenment of the UPTsMP reports.
In all, of the 90 diocesan and vicar bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, who have the right of voting, 83 attended the council.
According to the charter on administration of the UPTs, a quorum consists of 2/3 of its members, that is, 56 bishops. Thus the Bishops' Council was held with a quorum present.
As RISU reported, today in the morning a synod of bishops of the UPTsMP was held. The Bishops' Council was a continuation of the morning synod.
RISU learned from inside information that today at the council there may be a reprisal against the bishops of the UPTsMP who are favorably inclined toward autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. (tr. by PDS, posted 13 November 2018)
UPTsMP BISHOPS MAY MEET WITH PRESIDENT ONLY ON CHURCH TERRITORY
Bishops of the UPTsMP are ready to meet with the president of Ukraine, but on church territory, specifically on the territory of the Kiev caves lavra. This was stated in a declaration of the Bishops' Council of the UPTsMP.
We present a translation of the text of the document:
"On the initiative of Ukrainian President P.A. Poroshenko, a meeting with the episcopate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was scheduled for 13 November 2018 in the premises of the National Center of Business and Cultural Cooperation 'Ukraine House.'
"With the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev and all-Ukraine Onufrey, on the agreed date the episcopate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church assembled in the Kiev caves lavra. On this same day, an extraordinary session of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was held, which made the decision to convene a Bishops' Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
"Having discussed the state of church-state relations, one can evaluate public statements of the leadership of the government as directed against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and having taken into consideration the moods and thoughts of church people and clergy, and also proceeding from the fact that church questions should be discussed on church territory, the Bishops' Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has made the decision to meet with the president, although not in Ukraine House but on the territory of the Kiev caves lavra. This decision by the Bishops' Council was immediately sent to the president. However, the president rejected the meeting.
"Considering these circumstances, the Bishops' Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church confirms its readiness for a meeting with the president of Ukraine, but on church territory." (tr. by PDS, posted 13 November 2018)
Details of an extraordinary council
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UPTsMP) cut off eucharistic communion with the patriarchate of Constantinople.
A corresponding decision was made at an extraordinary council of bishops that was held on Tuesday, 13 November.
This is the way the UPTsMP reacted to the granting of autocephaly to Ukraine, assessing the actions of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew as lacking canonical force.
"The council of bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church considers that the decisions of the Holy Synod of the patriarchate of Constantinople of 11 October 2018 with regard to the Ukrainian church question are invalid and as such it do not have any canonical force," the document says.
The UPTsMP also maintains that "having adopted anticanonical decisions and recognized the schismatics as of valid clerical rank, the patriarchate of Constantinople, according to ecclesiastical rules, has itself taken the path of schism."
"In connection with this, eucharistic communion of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with the patriarchate of Constantinople is, at the present time, impossible and is terminated," the council's resolution says.
As Obozrevatel reported, on 15 October the Russian Orthodox Church made a decision concerning complete termination of eucharistic communion with the patriarchate of Constantinople. The churches of Athos, all churches of Istanbul, and also of Antalya fell under the ban.
In addition, the Belorussian Orthodox Church followed the RPTs and declared the severance with Constantinople as also did the Dushanbe Orthodox Church [Tajikistan], as part of the RPTs. (tr. by PDS, posted 13 November 2018)
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