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Patriarch Filaret Comments on Present Condition of Orthodoxy

17.08.2011, 09:41
Patriarch Filaret Comments on Present Condition of Orthodoxy - фото 1
Patriarch Filaret stated that the problems of the modern Orthodoxy could be avoided if Moscow Patriarchate granted autocephaly to the Ukrainian Church on time.

Філарет.gifPatriarch Filaret stated that the problems of the modern Orthodoxy could be avoided if Moscow Patriarchate granted autocephaly to the Ukrainian Church on time.

So he said to the correspondent of the web site Collapse of the Soviet Union. Oral History of Independent Ukraine–1988-1991.

In answer to the question if the establishment of the independent Ukrainian State strengthened the positions of Orthodoxy or not, Patriarch Filaret responded that, in view of the current situation in Orthodoxy, in the Orthodoxy of the Moscow Patriarchate, the role of the Orthodox Church is weakened, as we can see now internal struggle between different parts of Orthodoxy, the Ukrainian and Russian and, in Ukraine itself, between the pro-Moscow and autocephalous movements.

“That is we are spending spiritual strength on the work we should not do. If the Moscow Patriarchate granted autocephaly on time, a single but quite strong Church would be established in Ukraine. And one should note that the Orthodox Church in Ukraine is rather active. Even under the Soviet regime, 60 % of the parishes of the whole Moscow Patriarchate were concentrated here. And Ukraine provided with clergymen not only itself but, partly, Russia. Therefore, in the conditions of the independent state, the Orthodox Church in Ukraine would become rather strong.  And it would spend all its spiritual energy on the revival of the spirituality of the society. Now, we are spending our energy not on what is necessary whereas other religious forces take advantage of the controversies, struggle and confrontation within Orthodoxy and send here missionaries, both ones are useful and ones who do harm. Therefore, one gets an impression that Orthodoxy is weakened today.