P.Ts.U. PRIMATE: U.P.Ts.M.P. WILL COME TO DIALOGUE WHEN MOSCOW PRESSURES THEM YET MORE
Religiina Pravda, 13 June 2022
The hierarchs of the PTsU (Orthodox Church of Ukraine) called the UPTsMP (Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate) to a dialogue, but with the condition that they will not issue ultimatums. This was explained by the primate of the PTsU, Metropolitan Epifany, in an interview with N.P.
He is sure that the UPTsMP will agree to a dialogue especially when Moscow begins to pressure them even more.
"We called for a dialogue, but with the condition that they will not present ultimatums, because dialogue itself presupposes that it is necessary to start with a clean slate. On their side there are those wishing for this dialogue. They are bishops and they are clergy, with whom we are maintaining contact, and I believe that in the future this will grow into something bigger. We will be able to start a dialogue, especially when Moscow begins to put yet more pressure on them.
"We see the pressure on the part of the RPTs (Russian Orthodox Church) when they took away the Crimean dioceses from the UPTs, creating there a Crimean metropolitanate headed by Metropolitan Lazar and he still is a member of the Holy Synod of the UPTsMP.
"This is a clear sign to the UPTs that they must not withdraw. If they should withdraw, then there will be further annexations of the Donetsk and Luhansk dioceses and also the dioceses of the recently occupied territories. Indeed, we see the struggle of forces within the UPTs; the majority of churches promote separation from the ROTs, but still there remains a minority who are striving to remain a part of the RPTs, and it is aggressive," the PTsU primate emphasized. (tr. by PDS, posted 14 June 2022)
Russia Religion News Current News Items
Editorial disclaimer: RRN does
not intend to certify the accuracy of information
presented in articles. RRN simply intends to certify the
accuracy of the English translation of the contents of the
articles as they appeared in news media of countries of
the former USSR.
If material is quoted, please give credit to the
publication from which it came. It is not necessary to credit
this Web page. If material is transmitted electronically, please
include reference to the URL,
https://www2.stetson.edu/religious-news/