ONLY UPTs METROPOLITAN WHO ANNOUNCED PLANS TO PARTICIPATE IN UNIFICATION COUNCIL CHANGES HIS DECISION
Interfax-Religiia, 21 November 2018
Metropolitan of Vinnytsia and Barskoe Simeon, who last week was the only UPTs bishop who refused to sign the resolutions of its Bishops' Council, has reconsidered his position.
The Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church [UPTs], at a session on 13 November, broke off eucharistic communion with the patriarchate of Constantinople and among other things declared the impermissibility of hierarchs of the canonical church participating in the so-called unification council whose goal is to create in Ukraine, with the support of authorities and Constantinople, a church independent from Moscow.
Without having signed the concluding document of the UPTs Council, the metropolitan of Vinnytsia on the same day, along with two other bishops of the canonical church, went to a meeting with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. He also stated that he is waiting for a road map from Patriarch Bartholomew and said that he may become the head of the future church, just like any other bishop who participates in the unification council.
Meanwhile, as reported Tuesday evening by the press service of the Vinnytsia diocese, on the day before the monthly meeting of the clergy of the Vinnytsia district deanery, the metropolitan reported that the decisions of the Bishops' Council of the UPTs of 13 November "will be fulfilled by the bishop as well as the entire Vinnytsia diocese."
Metropolitan Simeon noted that he considers the decision, which at the time he refused to sign, is "obligatory for all bishops, clerics, and believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church."
As reported a few days ago, soon after the news about the plans of the Vinnytsia metropolitan to participate in the creation of the new church, clergy of his diocese at emergency meetings declared their disagreement with the ruling bishop. (tr. by PDS, posted 21 November 2018)
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