Deputy Patriarch of UOC-KP: Moscow Wants to Humiliate Ukraine During the Celebration of the Anniversary of the Baptism of Rus

The program for the celebration of the 1025th anniversary of the baptism of Rus-Ukraine has been made ​​so that the events in Kyiv will be secondary to those in Moscow, Epiphany (Dumenko), Deputy Patriarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate and Metropolitan of Pereyaslav-Khmelnytsky and Boryspil, said in an interview with Ukrayina Moloda.

The metropolitan said that by imposing its program for the anniversary celebration, Moscow is putting pressure on the Ukrainian church and state.

“Russian focus on the celebration is not being directed toward Kyiv, where the baptism took place, but toward Moscow, which at that time did not exist. The Russian Orthodox Church invites the Primates of the Orthodox Churches to the white-stone [Moscow]. The program is designed so that the celebrations in Kyiv are secondary to those in Moscow,” he said.

“Our main national event we will be the celebrations in the Ukrayina Palace, but neither Patriarch Kirill nor other foreign visitors from the Orthodox world will be present. At that time, they will be at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Patriarch Kirill, kind of like a master to his slaves, will come to us in the evening. He wants to show that he plays a key and leading role. He wants to demonstrate to the world: You see, we are the only ones that are canonically recognized, and all the others are ‘dissenters’ who can not participate in the general celebration,” said the governor.

According to him, Moscow is trying to use this celebration for its own geopolitical interests.

“But it is impossible to distort historical truth. We testify that Volodymyr the Great was the Prince of Kyiv and baptized Rus in Kyiv. Moscow at that time didn’t even exist as a settlement! I hope that all are wise enough not to let Moscow humiliate Ukraine during its own celebration,” said the metropolitan.