SEVERAL ASPIRANTS FOR PRIMATE OF THE UKRAINIAN AUTOCEPHALOUS CHURCH
Ukrainskaia Pravda, 22 November 2018
The primate of the Ukrainian autocephalous
church most
likely will be someone from the leadership of the Kiev
patriarchate; there now
are several possible contenders.
This is the subject of an article in
Ukrainskaia Pravda [in
Ukrainian—tr.] "Holiday approaches. When will an independent
church appear
in Ukraine?"
However it is noted that it is practically impossible to imagine a situation in which an absolute majority, which the Kiev patriarchate will have in the council, votes for a candidate from the other camp.
At the same time it is still impossible to say precisely whether the current patriarch of Kiev, Filaret, will be elected as the leader.
A spokesman for the Moscow patriarchate declared and several Russian news media have circulated certain "documents" that were supposedly letters written by the primates of the UPTsP, Filaret, and the UAPTs, Makary, to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew saying that they allegedly refuse to advance their own candidacies for leader of the new church.
But it is now impossible to confirm or disprove the reliability of these "documents."
However, according to Ukrainskaia Pravda's information, the option that the new church will not be headed by Patriarch Filaret has actually been considered during negotiations.
"If such happens, then UP's sources think the most likely primate of the independent church is the current patriarchal vicar, and Filaret's virtual right hand, Metropolitan Epifany," the article says.
At the same time, churchmen note that if his candidacy is considered, then it will not be the only one. They say that in the Kiev patriarchate there are several other influential and authoritative bishops, such as, for example, Metropolitan of Lutsk and Volyn Mikhail.
In general, if no force majeure circumstances appear, then at the council [in Istanbul--tr.] on 27-29 November a tomos will be presented for the Ukrainian church. Parallel with this a special exarch of His Holiness will be appointed to whom will be delegated the conducting of a council in Ukraine.
At this council, which most likely will be held in Kiev's Holy Wisdom [cathedral], a primate of the new church will be chosen.
According to information of UP, after this the head of the Ukrainian church will be invited to Constantinople for conducting a joint service with the ecumenical patriarch at which he will physically be given the tomos.
We recall that Filaret himself spoke ambiguously about the promotion of his candidacy, which he will report officially about at the council. (tr. by PDS, posted 22 November 2018)
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