Nickolas Denissenko
UKRAINIAN COUNCIL-EVENING UPDATE
In addition to the
letters of invitation, the letter sent by Patriarch Bartholomew to
Metropolitan Onufry on October 12 was also posted on social media today.
(A Ukrainian translation of the letter also appeared). Two highlights:
1) the patriarch tells M.O. that he may not "ecclesiologically nor
canonically bear the title of 'metropolitan of Kyiv' following" the
election of a primate at the unification council. He also encourages
M.O. to participate in the council, as
he may be a candidate for primate of the united church. And finally, he
dismisses the accusation that he 'legitimized a schism', and said that
he 'healed it', while urging M.O. to communicate with Metropolitans
Filaret and Makary.
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More news today. First, multiple bishops posted photos of the letters
they received from Patriarch Bartholomew inviting them to participate in
the Ukrainian council on December 15 under the presidency of
Metropolitan Emmanuel. (I have seen the Greek, Ukrainian, and English
texts of these letters; perhaps there is a Russian version, too). The
letter invites each participating bishop to bring one clergyman and one
monk or layperson with him to the council. Each participant - including
the two people accompanying the bishop - has the right to "vote for the
composition of the list of three candidates" for the office of primate.
In other words, the council itself is to include some representation of
the Church, at the discretion of the bishop. (The letter does not
provide instructions on how the bishop should select his fellow
participants).
The synod of the Kyivan Patriarchate also met
today and scheduled hierarchical council for December 13. The
resolutions of the synod include language that only bishops have voting
privileges at the council - not non-episcopal participants.
This
news will certainly generate discussion; and hopefully many prayers,
too, for this chance for separated Orthodox in Ukraine to unite. The
previous chances were not realized - in 1921, 1922, 1942, 1991-2, and
2008