Ukrainian Orthodox denounce Russian interference
November 04, 2024
» Continue to this story on BBC (Ukrainian service)
CWN Editor's Note: More than thirty bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) have signed letter protesting the decision by the Russian Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow to replace a prelate in Donetsk.
On October 24, the Moscow patriarchate announced that Metropolitan Hilarion of Donetsk would retire and be replaced by Metropolitan Vladimir, formerly of Vladivostok. The bishops of the UOC, which has historically been subject to the Moscow patriarchate, protested that the change was made “unilaterally, without any agreement with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is canonically independent.”
The UOC bishops said that they “strongly condemn the decision, which is anti-canonical.” They charged that the action was a threat to the integrity of the UOC.
The Russian Orthodox Church issued a reply that the change was made under special circumstances, to ensure stability in the Donetsk region, which Russia has annexed.
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