Patriarch Filaret: now that we are all canonical and have grace, no obstacles for unification remain
The hierarchs of the three Ukrainian Orthodox Churches now have every reason to create the one Local Church.
Patriarch Filaret said it today during, commenting on the decision of the Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the restoration of the canonical status of the Primates of the UOC-KP and the UAOC.
“Now, we, the hierarchs of the three Churches, are legitimate, canonical and have grace, and thus can unite into the one UOC, which will then be recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarch and the entire Orthodox world,” said the Primate.
Patriarch Filaret recalled that the anathema was imposed upon him because he, along with the bishops, expressed his legitimate desire to have an independent Church. Now the Ecumenical Patriarchate has defined this anathema as invalid.
“I appealed to the Ecumenical Patriarch with the petition to recognize this anathema illegitimate. Now is the time when the Synod restored my activity and the bishops’ activity. That is, the sacraments that we performed are considered valid. This decision of the Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate gives us the opportunity to unite with the hierarchs of the UAOC and the UOC-MP,” noted the Primate of the Kyiv Patriarchate.
According to him, after the formation of the UOC in Ukraine, other Orthodox Churches will also exist and all of them will have equal rights.
However, the part of the UOC-MP who does not want to join the Local Church will have no right to name itself Ukrainian.
The patriarch also stressed that the unification into the Ukrainian Church would be fast.
We will agree on the time to hold the Council. I plan to convene it soon and it will be the Hierarchical Council. The hierarchs of the Kyiv Patriarchate, of the UAOC, led by Metropolitan Makariy and the bishops of the Moscow Patriarchate, who want to unite, will participate. We will elect our Primate, and then, after that, we will receive the Tomos of autocephaly of the UOC,” said Patriarch Filaret.
