ΜΕΤRΟPΟLΙΤΑΝ SΟFRΟΝΥ: IF ΜΥ ΒRΟΤΗΕRS DO NOT GO TO THE SYNOD THEY WILL BE BLAMED FOR THE SPLIT

ΜΕΤRΟPΟLΙΤΑΝ SΟFRΟΝΥ: IF ΜΥ ΒRΟΤΗΕRS DO NOT GO TO THE SYNOD THEY WILL BE BLAMED FOR THE SPLIT

"Tomos must be given to the UOC-MP". Many people in Ukraine and around the world are watching events taking place in our church life. Kiev rages on news from Constantinople, the word "tomos" is transmitted word by word. Only one event separates Ukrainians from the historical moment of the proclamation of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Church - the unifying Synod of Ukrainian churches (UOC-MP, UOC-KP, and the UAOC). In it the bishops must elect a new primate who will serve in the Orthodox world in the largest church with regard to the number of parishes. To make things happen, the irreconcilable "canonical" and "schismatics" should be united in that Synod.

However, it is difficult to understand how these roles are now distributed. Metropolitan of Cherkasy and Kaniv Sofrony is a bishop of the UOC-MP. His authority among the bishops and among the faithful is very high. He is an example of the revival of the spiritual life of Cherkassy, ​​the most aesthetic, according to the ruler of the region. 

Metropolitan Sofrony is also known for being a consistent advocate for the local Autocephalous Orthodox Church; he well remembered the period of atheism, the renaissance and split of the churches, even to its smallest details. Bishop Sofrony speaks several languages; he participated in the construction of hundreds of temples in Cherkassy region, 50 of them built on their own projects, are professionally fond of iconography and of the translation of the Holy Bible and the Liturgy in Ukrainian; and he has students all over the world. 

The views that the Bishop has expressed in the conversation with the "Glavkom" are extremely important for the preparation of the unifying Synod, the culmination of which will be the receipt of Thomos and the establishment of an independent autocephalous church. These thoughts should be heard in Ukraine and in Constantinople. And the meeting with the bishop began with the words of St. Paul the apostle from the "Rule Book", who himself translated for more than a year: "When I pray in a stranger's language, though my spirit prays, but my mind remains without fruit".

Q: Vladika, in the Cherkasy diocese, you served already 26 years. How did the diocese change during these years? 

Bishop Sofrony: I served as a mere priest in 1978 in the Cherkassy land. By that time in Cherkassy region there were 54 temples. Already during my episcopal ministry they "fell" (laughs) to 507. All of them are open to me, they are all sanctified by me, and 50 temples are built directly on my own projects. In Cherkassy itself there was not a single temple. There are already seven temples, in 2002 St. Michael Cathedral was opened, one of the largest Orthodox cathedrals in the world. It was built solely on the donations of believers, without sponsors. Our Sponsors: The Lord and the Mother of God. Near you, you saw, the belfry is being built, the largest in Ukraine. There will also be a home for orphans.

 

Metropolitan Sofrony demonstrates the model of the bell tower.

In addition, Cherkassy diocesan administration, houses for priests near each temple were built. It's been more than 30 years since the Lord blessed me to walk, stumble upon this spiritually scorched earth. No region has suffered from atheistic invasion as Cherkassy region. My first parish had just 15 people. Today, in the Cathedral, on Saturday evening, there are up to one thousand lay people. At Sunday liturgy we never had less than 1,5 thousand. There are seven monasteries in the region, male and female. In the largest of them there are 100 nuns. The inhabitants of the monasteries are coming from all over Ukraine. 

"We have so many saints and shrines as there are in no other Orthodox country in the world."

Q: Do you see people in Ukraine who are moral authority for a nation today? 

Bishop Sofrony: The trouble is that I stopped looking for the saints in our lives. All those who once were for me authority, who were spiritually strong, gifted to God - fortunately for them, and for us, unfortunately, they are no longer in this world. 

Q: Do nations need spiritual authority? 

Bishop Sofrony: Such people, as ever, are needed for Ukraine! However, not very harshly our people will listen to such people. Today, some grandfather with a buckwheat in his beard will listen more than a bishop or priest. Our people became read. Readable, but spiritually weak! Many read, but not what is useful for human spirituality. There is also the other side. Ukraine is so rich in spirituality, entering into this spiritual life of our people, as nations, all kinds of authority can dim. We have so many saints and shrines as there are in no Orthodox country of the world. No city can boast like Kiev. For example, only the saintly laurels reside in the 150 reverend. In Cherkasy region, over the years of my ministry, more than 150 saints have been opened and brought to holiness through the confirmation of the synod of our church. 

Q: How did you spiritually enrich yourself in times difficult for the church? 

Bishop Sofrony: When I was a student, I just heard about a high moral spiritual person, I tried to meet her, because of questions and advice to borrow her wisdom, experience. True, such people, as a rule, do not show their spiritual inner side. They always hide, live so that they are condemned and not glorified. 

So, it was given by God that during my life I lived with really alive holy people. I talked to them, so right now with you (laughs). By their instructions, I lived in that terrible Khrushchev, Brezhnev-Andropov period. It was extremely difficult, but I survived. My spiritual parents are Father Tikhon, who helped me cursed into a spiritual seminary. Father Cyril, who trimmed me to the monks and holy Moses Ufimsky, who revealed all my future life in front of me. Until now, I use their guides. Now when I hear that a miracle worker appeared in the area, then I am skeptical of this. I call such people not branded, but old men. Thanks to the thousands of our saints, I use their luggage of spirituality. 

Q: Today you have spiritual children around the world. Did the Ukrainian nation grows spiritually? 

Bishop Sofrony: For many years, spirituality, faith was eradicated in Ukraine. Due to objective circumstances, priests were ordained engineers, policemen, professors, etc. The priests worked on the necessary action and did not pay attention to the education of their parishioners; there was no opportunity. Time is changing. We have no service in the diocese without sermons. It's important for people to hear a living word. They hear tips on how to pray, how to be fasting, how to live in families and in society. It helps people to spiritually enrich themselves. And yet ... An Orthodox Christian only a year later, visiting the temple, can say that he begins to understand something. And most importantly, if you want people to hear and not condemn you, you need to be an example in everything. This is very important. 

Q: Vladika, during your years of service, how did your parishioners change? 

Bishop Sofrony: Man as such is always the same. The church is young. When I came to serve, there were more pensioners in the church, there were few middle-aged people. Now there are almost no elderly people. Just those who went through that terrible atheistic period were stronger spiritually. Now people are more knowledgeable. Then people were raised by faith, and now they are brought up by knowledge, they read more, the priest knows ... But the priests for the second time - not in their place. At all times, the church raised a sense of fear, slavery in man, fear of priests. As a rule, the faces of people in our churches are sadness, anxiety, sorrow. Don’t you agree? 

Q: One must have fear. But this fear must be before God, reverence before him. This is the basis of our ministry, our life.

 

Bishop Sofrony: But this is not slavish fear! It is a fear of love that a person is loving God, afraid of his actions to offend him. I have to be afraid of you. But this is another fear. It is a fear that I am afraid to tell you such that not to hurt your weak spiritual soul. I even heard from people: "I do not want to be a servant of God. Who am I, a slave? " But this word needs to be understood in a different way. His meaning is to serve God with his life, work hard for his spiritual enrichment. Yes, of course, such imposing, semantic distortions were atheistic times. We told you that you were slaves, invented everything to only humiliate the priesthood and Christians. Regarding the clergy, in pre-revolutionary times, in the flowering of faith, the priests traveled to the raccoons. And all the people took off their hats and bowed. Thus, respect was shown, it was not slavery. 

Q: You have books everywhere: in the cabinets, on the shelves, the table is all in the books ...

Bishop Sofrony: "The monk of the Menny lived. Had a hundred books. He slept on them. And I did not know what was in them "(laughs). I have a library: I have collected 8 thousand books for my life. Visas from Vologda, Yaroslavl, Kostroma. During the time of students at the spiritual seminary and the spiritual academy (MDA) knew all the bookshops. The book always accompanies me in my life. Now many books have been given to the diocese. (Metropolitan Sofronius stands up and shows his own translation into the Ukrainian "Rule Book." This collection of prayer texts is completely written off in pencil). My experience of teaching in the Church Slavonic Seminary, as well as knowledge of Slavic languages, helps me translate into Ukrainian. 

"In Russia, I was called a nationalist, Khokhlom, and then expelled from there."

Q: You have all your life been an indefatigable champion of the autocephalous Orthodox Church in Ukraine. Your word is often sharp, but very good, it's heard. Many believe that other priests of the UOC-MP will pull on to join you. You have lived up to this happy moment. What emotions overwhelm you? 

Bishop Sofrony: I'll tell you one thing. In order to express one's opinion, one must be Ukrainian in order to express his vision of a church question. You need to have the dignity of a person of his people. We must love our people. We do not have this. We, having lived 400 years in slavery, only did what they sold each other. If someone began to defend his native land, he is immediately attributed the label "nationalist". If, for example, to take the Serbs, the Serbs extremely nationalist, Russians - no less. And for some reason, we cannot speak publicly about our nationality. My parents have raised love for my people in me, I love my people. For me to go to the prophet Moses far, but I have the courage to speak in his words: "If my people are better off my suffering, then I am ready to suffer today." We must have dignity, love and responsibility not to live for ourselves, but for the sake of our people. I do not think about how my brothers will look at me today what they will say to me. Convict or drive out of this chair ... In Russia, I was called a nationalist, a Khokhlom and then expelled from there. And now in Ukraine, I am also called a nationalist, that I am worthless. But I've been keeping one line for a long time: if it's good for my people, I'm ready to suffer for them. And without suffering in our lives - there is no life. The Lord has suffered for all. And every person should suffer for him/herself. If you are worried about the people whom the Lord has entrusted to you, then this will be praise to you. But praise is not now, but in eternity, from God! 

Q: Bishop, will the path that the autocephalous church has now become, to the unity of the UOC-MP and the UOC-KP? 

Bishop Sofrony: Firstly, I am very glad that the Greeks have unearthed the truth that was kept from 1686 to today. They did not open it, but they knew this truth. Now they just said. But only 20% know this truth, 80% do not know about it, even priests. As for unity, it will be very difficult for us. Our people are brought up on the fact that there were two Romes, and the third Rome - Moscow, and the fourth will not happen. For people, it is constantly tricked into the head. But if you approach in principle, then you ask yourself: why do you have Moscow? But this is not asked. Repeat only what we were there. 

Q: And what good? Look at people's lives ...

Bishop Sofrony: It's good that our church is big, the largest in Ukraine, but this does not mean that all people are of the same opinion that Moscow is good. There are people who have a different opinion. But for some reason these people are silenced, they do not want to hear them. Hijacking labels of traitors ... That is, the understanding between the churches is still far away ... From my point of view, for our church is now a moment like never before. Today, one can do so, that there will be no church split in Ukraine (knocking on the table). But if we do not agree, as my brothers still do, they will make the split themselves and will be blamed for the split in Ukraine. It all came to the point that the president wants unity, Constantinople decides, and you use it. Yes No! We do not want to. And it is asked: "Why?" There are no answers to this question. They say to me: "Why do you lay down, what do you want?" I answer: "I want peace and peace in Ukraine. I want my people to live like all Orthodox Christians: in Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Constantinople. " Because we have so many monasteries. Listen - 12 thousand wards! And if you add the UOC-KP and UAOC, it will be the largest church throughout the world among Orthodox churches. We have three lavras. We have many believers and monasteries, we have a lot of monks. Why cannot we manage ourselves? Although the situation is not bad at the moment. We are independent from Moscow in everything. But one word, it spoils the whole porridge, which is cooked extremely delicious. This word is "Moscow". Well, if it interferes, talk to the patriarch. Tell him: let's get rid of good things. Express your will! Do not tear up ties with Constantinople, get up right! We are brothers. Yes No! There is no understanding ... I do not know why this is so? Therefore, my vision is: if we make a mistake right now, and on the unifying Synod of bishops, we will be a minority from us and they will choose Filaret ... As he said: "I was, I am and I will be a patriarch." This is a shame for us! 

Q: Will you personally take part in the unifying bishop's Synod? 

Bishop Sofrony: Now I do not know, I'll look at the circumstances. The intention is, in order to save ... But if we have only six, of whom we are talking about, our voice will be weak there. Therefore, from our church there should be all, whether they want or do not want to choose the primate. For if Filaret is the primate, then I do not accept or accept such a church. 

Q: Father, is your opinion known to the Exarchs of Constantinople? Did you meet them? 

Bishop Sofrony: Yes, I talked to them. They were sitting here, where you are now. They arrived before the synod in Constantinople. One of them is my student. The fact that with the lifting of the anathema to Filaret, this may be my idea. Because I asked them at once: "What church does the patriarch Bartholomew want to give to Tomas? How Can Tomos be given to the UOC-KP with their heads under anathema? Before the date, you need to remove the anathema. Therefore, first of all, you need to talk with the bishops of the UOC-MP. They listened and they did not tell me anything ... But then the synod of the UOC-MP was held, in which the exarchs were accused of interfering with the church. However, I still insisted that they return to Metropolitan Onuphry and appeal that Constantinople is our mother church and Moscow is not. It was at that time that our accession was already written in Greek.

"My candidacy is Archimandrite Cyril (Hovorun)."

Q: So, you emphasized in your conversation with the exarchs that Tomos should be given only to those who come from the UOC-MP? 

Bishop Sofrony: I told them for 1.5 hours how the Russian Empire was created and how Ukraine was joined to it. I told them all the truth about it. Only 20 years after Bohdan Khmelnytsky gave Ukraine to Moscow, the church was annexed. That is, for 20 years the church was struggling for its independence. At that time, a catechism was written, then a very high dogmatic thought was in Ukraine. It is the Ukrainian church that started the educational activities of the victimized illiterate Russia. Unfortunately, at that time the scattered Greek church was occupied by Muslims. History tells us that exactly this church, which is now called the UOC-MP, should be given the Tomos. This is a 30-million-church. Do not make this process "cheers", prepare to be serious. That's what I told them. And then, if Constantinople admitted that the Anathema to Filaret should be lifted, it does not mean that he canceled the laying on of hands from him. We will have to cut off. It is also important that Filaret removed the anathema from the Metropolitan and was restored in the hands of the Metropolitan, and not as he calls himself of the patriarch. This must be recognized by him! 

Q: But, Bishop, admit that in the early 90's he was Filaret himself at the head of the movement for the independence of the Ukrainian Orthodoxy. 

Bishop Sofrony: He carried this cross and must receive recognition. He became the leader of the split. If he did not get there, where he got there, then we would have been a long before an independent autocephalous church.

Q: If so, why the hierarchs of the UOC-MP never called for this independence, why they did not openly oppose Moscow, and, as it has been confirmed, Constantinople annexed our church?

Bishop Sofrony: If so fundamentally, none of our bishops share the thoughts of such (about an independent Ukrainian church). I do not know how and who raised them, why they have such a view. Those who go to the Synod in Moscow, they unconditionally accept everything. And what should we do?

Q: Are you six bishops out of over 80, who will go the unifying council? This is a very small number. How you can change the situation?

Bishop Sofrony: I'll tell you something more: they all now climbed back like crayfish, scared. None of them will go (do not participate in the Synod), you will see.

Q: Do you persuade bishops somehow, do you communicate?

Bishop Sofrony: I became an enemy to everyone (smiling). When we had a Synod on which primate to elect, everyone ran to me and said, "Sophronius! Sophronius". But there was eventually only one vote for me. We have unpredictable people.

Q: If such a complicated situation is with the support of the creation of a new church by the UOC-MP bishops, would you not want to push yourself to head the local church, to show others an example?

Bishop Sofrony: Oh no I only win if I see that I can influence something that I deserve. I am a pragmatic person, do not take for what is not mine.

Q: Outside, the ball is now in the field of the UOC-MP. And right now, this church is deciding its fate: to be in a split, to leave the brand of "hands of Moscow "on its own, or to become the backbone of a new local church. Can you name the most likely candidates for whom you would vote and with what candidacy you would never agree?

Bishop Sofrony: So, the moment for the church, as never before! Ecumenical The Patriarch is ready to give Tomos and give it to the hands of the head of the UOC, and we will refuse him! When they all went to the first step - canceled anathema not his own, but someone else, then they go on and We are (intellectuals of the UOC-MP) to approach, reject the personal relations and desire of Moscow, look right in the eyes and use the moment! My candidacy is Archimandrite Cyril (Hovorun). He is a man of knowledge, enlightened, learned in the works of the holy fathers. He is far from any vices, he is clean and not spoiled. As I mentioned, I will never agree to Filaret's candidacy.

Q: Bishop, in what language you will serve, how do you imagine the transition to the Ukrainian language of the service of God?

Bishop Sofrony: I am a supporter of the Serbian tradition. There, all the services are fully translated into Serbian. But the Serbian bishops in some churches serve in Serbian, while others in Old Slavonic. Today we need to work hard on the translation of trackers. After all, the available translations do not fit anywhere. If you do not know what you are doing? It is necessary to know the Slavic language, from which Ukrainian came out and be a little poet. Do not distort the most beautiful Ukrainian language with imperfect translations. (Metropolitan Sofronius stands up and shows the translations of the prayer texts written in the pencil, tells about the Ukrainian alphabet, recounts the translations of the prayers he worked out, plays them). I think of every word and sentence. I go deep into the content. There is a prayer, the translation of which I have corrected more than 100 times

Лілія Клочко, Михайло Глуховський, «Главком»