OPEN LETTER OF APPEAL BY
METROPOLITAN ANTONII (MAKHOTA) THE ORTHODOX CHURCH OF UKRAINE TO THE
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ROC IN UKRAINE IN KHMELNITSKY OBLAST
Appeal of the Metropolitan Anthony of
Khmelnytskyi and Kamianets - Podilskyi of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine
to the leaders, clergy, and believers of the three dioceses of the
Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine in Khmelnytskyi Oblast
Your Eminences Archbishops Anthony, Theodore, Eusebius, high-honored fathers - brothers in Christ!
The process of recognition of
autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by the Universal Mother
Church, which we all observed, has granted us an unwavering hope: our
people can be saved in a Single Local Church. The unfortunate schism
that has continued for 27 years must be inevitably terminated, and
everything that split us and soured our relationships with bitterness
should “be buried in oblivion”.
According to the dogmatically canonical
understanding of Orthodox ecclesiology, there is the only one Church of
Christ: “I believe ... in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church ...",
the Head of which is our Lord Jesus Christ, and that is guided by the
Holy Spirit.
Autocephaly does not replace the
Universal Church; it is only a form of performing the hierarchical
service in a certain territory for the sake of the salvation of
believers. At the same time, the mystical unity of the Body of Christ is
preserved.
Like a hybrid war, when the Russian
Federation annexed the part of the territory of sovereign Ukraine, the
ROC under the guise of canonicity breaks the chiton of the Church of
Christ, opposing the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. We
write “under the guise of canonicity” because the aspiration of
autocephaly does not conflict with any existing canons, but, on the
contrary, expresses the natural form of the existence of the Universal
Church as the one Body of Christ.
The discussion concerns only the
procedure for obtaining autocephaly. According to canon law, the
President, the Verkhovna Rada and the episcopate have appealed to His
Holiness, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, to provide the
Ukrainian Church with the Tomos on Autocephaly. It is the path that is a
canonical one, since we received the light of faith of Christ from
Constantinople and until the 17th century we were under the archpastoral
care of the Ecumenical Patriarch. And only the imperial actions of the
Moscow kingdom in 1686 laid the foundation for today’s church
confrontation in Ukraine.
As we can see from the consideration of
the Ukrainian matter at the Synaxis of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on
September 1-3, 2018, at the Phanar, the letter of 1686 was provided
under pressure and under special circumstances, and it said that the
Moscow Patriarch was allowed to certify the Kiev Metropolitan. But this
metropolitan had to further recognize the Ecumenical Patriarch as his
Head and to be in his jurisdiction that was supposed to be evidenced by
the mention of the name of His Holiness at the Divine Service. These
conditions had not been met. No documents testifying to the “full
transfer” of Kiev Metropolis to the jurisdiction of Moscow Patriarchate
are known. This is a confirmation that the Ecumenical Patriarch does not
recognize the authority of the Moscow Patriarch on the territory of
modern Ukraine.
Therefore, beloved brothers in Christ, our responsibility before the
Creator and history is to act in accordance with the truth of God, the
canonical principles of the Church, the spirit of the commandments of
Christ’s ministry and love. I urge you
to effectively respond to the challenges of the time and join the
creation of the Local Orthodox Church in Ukraine, which has become the
place of salvation of the flock entrusted to us by the Lord, rather than
building a new empire - the “Russian world”.
It is known that among the priests of
the dioceses entrusted to you there are different considerations in the
relation of this subject. There are those who believe that it is right
to remain under the omophorion of the Moscow Patriarch. Well, they have
the right to make this choice. But there are many among you who are
ready for the autocephalous existence of the Orthodoxy of Ukraine and
are waiting for the final decision of His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew
on January 6. It is true that you are concerned about how this step
will be perceived by former and new co-servers, whether the current
parishes, ranks and titles, and the like, will remain with you. Our
common enemies are spreading rumors that recently the spirit of
“winners” and the spirit of pride in relation to all other Orthodox
priests have reined. I assure you, brethren, that this is not at all the
case. We have only the premonitions of our common victory, when we in
the reunited Church, not in parallel, but together serve the God and our
neighbors.
All organizational and other issues
should be jointly resolved so as not to weaken, giving everyone the
opportunity to serve better as they can. After all, this is not about
accession, but about reunification. Of course, it will be a rather
difficult process. But at present, on the path of “may all be one,” we
are working together in those areas of church life that do not need
communion, and it shows sincerity of intentions to our lay people. So
the ice in our relationship begins to melt.
May the Lord Almighty continue to be our Helper and Patron!
May the Lord Almighty continue to be our Helper and Patron!