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OCU Head: No legal or canonical mechanisms exist to convene the Council bypassing Primate, Synod

16.05.2019, 11:52
A meeting of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine is scheduled for May 24. Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine said this in an interview with BBC about the issues the Synod will be considering and whether the Local Council will be convened.

A meeting of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine is scheduled for May 24. Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine said this in an interview with BBC about the issues the Synod will be considering and whether the Local Council will be convened.

“At the Holy Synod, we will discuss the general situation in our Church, and perhaps make assessment of the activities carried out,” the Primate said.

Metropolitan called untrue the statement made by Patriarch Filaret that he was seeking the Patriarch’s retirement at the first Synod of the OCU.

"This is a blatant lie. On the contrary, as a Primate, I defended the Patriarch Filaret. And thanks to my position, he was allowed to retain the city of Kyiv and everything he is managing now. The hierarchs who attended the Holy Synod have regard for his status. Namely: they proposed that he should lead parishes in the Kyiv region, and not in the capital. But I persistently persuaded everyone that for the merits of His Holiness the Patriarch he must remain the governor of the diocese of Kyiv and enjoy respect of the newly established Church.”

And he added, “No one is trying to take anything away. During the meeting of the Holy Synod, it was my clear position: we do not just leave St Volodymyr's Cathedral and the residence in Pushkinska street for the Patriarch, but let him retain the management of the parishes of the city of Kyiv. The diocese and everything that is now part of the diocese of the city of Kyiv, except for St Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral, which is also my cathedral. The conversations about the fact that something will be withdrawn does not correspond to reality ... The city of Kyiv – the whole city, including all the finances coming to the church fund, in addition to St. Michael's Monastery, are still reserved for Patriarch Emeritus Filaret.”

Concerning Patriarch Emeritus Filaret’s attempt to convene a Local Council to amend the Charter of the OCU, Metropolitan Epifaniy beleives that there are no legal and canonical mechanisms for convening the Council by-passing the Primate, the Holy Synod or the Council of Bishops.”

The head of the OCU emphasized, "According to our Charter adopted on December 15, the Council of Bishops should be held every year. Therefore, we will adhere to the rules and during the year we will determine when the next Council of Bishops will be held. So collectively, we will decide when to convene the next local council. This should be a collegial decision of the Church, not a sole decision of the Primate. If we want to be guided by a democratic, collegial way, if we want to be open, we must make decisions collectively, together. The period when power was exercised alone in the Church has expired.”