IN UKRAINE REPORTS ABOUT DATE OF UNIFICATION COUNCIL DENIED
The uncanonical church in Ukraine, which called for conducting a "unification council" on the question of autocephaly, denied an announcement about the scheduling of this meeting for 22 November.
"I am not surprised that unidentified anonymous persons are 'announcing' church councils on Facebook. . . . Officially I declare: the information being circulated in announcements (an example is shown below) does not correspond to reality. Again I am forced to repeat: only an official communication about the date of the council will mean that it has already been determined," Evstraty Zoria, the press secretary of the Ukrainian uncanonical church structure, wrote on Sunday on Facebook.
Under the note he published a picture of the unreliable, in his words, announcement about the council scheduled for 22 November.
The statement was made against a background of conflict between the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the unrecognized church structures on the topic of autocephaly, which along with the authorities in Kiev are counting on receiving a tomos concerning autocephaly from Constantinople before the end of the year. However a tomos may be received only by a primate of a unified church who must be chosen at a unification council of Orthodox churches in Ukraine. At the same time, the canonical UPTs has declared that it does not intend to participate in such an event.
Earlier a synod of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church declared the severance of eucharistic communion with the patriarchate of Constantinople because of its actions in Ukraine. The Bishops' Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church called the actions of the patriarchate of Constantinople in Ukraine illegal and urged it to a dialogue with the UPTs and all local churches with a goal of a "conciliar resolution of the problem. . . ." (tr. by PDS, posted 18 November 2018)
AUTOCEPHALY FOR UKRAINE: UPTsMP REPORTS ATTACK ON METROPOLITAN'S RESIDENCE
On Saturday, 17 November, in Krivoi Rog a group of unidentified persons arranged a provocation near the residence of Metropolitan of Krivoi Rog and Nikopol Efrem (UPTsMP), trying to get inside the building.
This was reported on the Facebook page of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. A photo from the site of the incident was published there.
"A group of provocateurs, who carried with themselves agitation materials in favor of autocephaly, stormed the residence. They tried to break down the doors of the building and they shouted insults against the ruling bishop for the fact that he does not support the idea of granting a tomos to Ukraine," the report said.
The press service notes that one of the participants in the action tried to break down the gate onto the territory of the residence.
Church figures also maintain that behind all of the events they observed representatives of the National Police, but "they did not prevent the provocateurs from damaging the premises of the diocese and shouting calls that incited religious strife."
A video from the scene was published by "First Krivoi Rog." In the clips are seen people with placards. "We are for a tomos, Efrem; are you with us?" was written on one of them.
One of the participants in a balaclava introduced himself as a member of "Right Sector." He explained that he is not a "religious person," although he advocates the idea of the creation of a united autocephalous church.
We recall that the ruling bishop of the Krivoi Rog diocese, Metropolitan of Krivoi Rog and Nikopol Efrem, was among those who participated in a controversial council of the Moscow patriarchate led by Metropolitan Onufrey.
As Obozrevatel reported, at the meeting the churchmen decided to sever relations with the patriarchate of Constantinople.
Bishops of the UPTsMP who arrived for a meeting with Poroshenko after the council declared that there was insane pressure because of their pro-Ukrainian position.
The press secretary of the Ukrainian president, Sviatoslav Tsegolko, declared that the extraordinary session conducted by the UPTsMP, and also the decisions made by churchmen, are not able to break up the process of receiving autocephaly. He emphasized that the council was conducted "in accordance with a scenario that was sent from Moscow."
UPTsKP spokesmen Evstraty declared that the
Moscow
patriarchate had arranged a demarche. (tr. by PDS, posted 18
November 2018)
HEAD OF ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH COMMENTS ON SITUATION AROUND UPTs
The Armenian Apostolic Church is an advocate of canonicity and may not welcome steps for the division of the church, the catholicos of all Armenians Garegin II declared to journalists on Saturday in Novosibirsk.
"The Armenian Apostolic Church is an advocate of canonicity and in this regard it never can welcome steps that are aimed at dividing and dismembering the church of Christ," the catholicos said responding to a question whether the Armenian Apostolic Church can under any circumstances recognize the unification council in Ukraine. . . . (tr. by PDS, posted 18 November 2018)
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