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by Caterina Zakharova
The great Ukrainian scholar defends
the election of metropolitan Epifanyj and autocephaly as a flight from
"post-Soviet Egypt" and "ideological slavery" under Moscow.
Addressing the problems of the population, in a situation of war that has lasted five years, will also help to unite with priests and bishops of the Moscow Patriarchate. Shevchuk's congratulations and Kirill's wrath.
Addressing the problems of the population, in a situation of war that has lasted five years, will also help to unite with priests and bishops of the Moscow Patriarchate. Shevchuk's congratulations and Kirill's wrath.
Kiev (AsiaNews) - The new Kiev autocephalous Church must mature
in an "essential" and "elementary" charity towards people whohave
suffered under the Russian-Ukrainian war that has lasted for 5 years;
and breathe the air of "global Christianity" to "solve the deep social
problems" that lie before them. Konstantin Sigov explains
his approval of the step taken by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, with
the election of Metropolitan Epifanyj last December 15th. He sees the
birth of the new Church - independent of the patriarchate of Moscow - as
a sort of flight "from post-Soviet Egypt, from the sphere of
ideological slavery". Concrete charity, and not just words, is needed
to overcome ethnocentrism and to build the unity of the Orthodox and
Christian world. But so far,divisions seem to dominate. Yesterday, the
major archbishop of the Greek-Catholic Ukrainians Sviatoslav Shevchuk
sent a message of congratulations, prayers and support for the new
Metropolitan's mission. Meanwhile, the patriarchate of Moscow has
branded all the local Orthodox Churches of the council of Kiev as
"illegitimate" and speaks of "legalization of the schism" by the
patriarchate of Constantinople.
Sigov, 56, is among the leading intellectuals of Ukraine and an
exceptional ecumenical personality. Philosopher, university professor,
director of the Center for European Humanistic Research at the National
University Academy of Kiev Mohyla.
Professor, what happened on December 15th for the Church in Ukraine?
The council of the local Orthodox Church in Kiev is an important
stage for the emergence from inertia, from the historical influence of
the Soviet empire, to put it in the biblical lexicon: "from post-Soviet
Egypt", from the area of ideological slavery.
The secret ballot of the council was the litmus test. The old guard
of the episcopate has tried to pass the blatant vote by a show of hands,
under the gaze of the authority and with the consequential blackmail
that could have targeted those who voted "wrong". This temptation was
overcome, this real freedom and the overcoming of fear are an important
precedent for the future life of the Church.
The Metropolitan Epifanyj, as the new head of the Church will go to
Constantinople on 6 January, where Patriarch Bartholomew will give him
the Tomos (the official Act) of autocephaly for the Ukrainian Orthodox
Church. Last Sunday, December 16, the Patriarch of Constantinople
Bartholomew added another name to the list of the 14 primates of the
local Orthodox Churches, he began to pray also for the head of the
Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The local Orthodox Churches family is now
composed of 15 sister churches.
Does this step not deepen the division?
It is well known that relations between the Orthodox Churches are
anything but idyllic. But it is important to stress that the nature of
the differences between these Churches has nothing to do with the
sovereignty of States. From a theological point of view all the Orthodox
Churches make up the indivisible Body of Christ. Unity is more
profound than any ethnic, political and linguistic difference. The gap
between dogmatic truth and historical vicissitudes continues to be a
challenge for the conscience of every Christian, an appeal for
overcoming divisions.
The change has a profound and irreversible character due to many
historical factors. Millions of people have been waiting for this event
for decades, some with fear, others with hope. And despite everything,
the council even took many experts all over the world by surprise .
Until the last moment, doubts abounded among the Church's politicians.
The Rubicon has been passed. Now this accomplished step has become a
factor that will affect the lives of millions of people.
What are the prospects for the new Ukrainian Church?
Great work now awaits every single ecclesial community to separate
what is fundamental from what is secondary; to actualize the words of
the Gospel and renew life in this light.
The Babylonian confusion of languagesin our Churches will sharpen
the question of unity, and the crisis of the forms of our communion.
The problem lies not only in the compromise of current theological
rhetoric. So many declarations on unity have revealed that they are
vacuous . An emptiness that can not be filled with other discourses. The
chasm between good speeches and unworthy actions is all too evident.
The megalomania of geopolitics has lost all connection with the human expression of "I-you".
I do not want to talk about the neo-imperialist propaganda that has
taken root in the religious lexicon. I do not want to analyze the false
magnitude of the opposing "us / them" schemes. We know how difficult it
is to relate to our societies the words of St. Paul that "there is
neither Greek nor Jew", continuing the list with "neither Russian, nor
Western, nor Post-Soviet, nor Autochthonous, nor Migrant" etc...
The emptying of the old language leads us to the most essential
things; the Gospel words come back to us today: "I was hungry and you
did not feed me, I was thirsty and you gave me no a drink, I was a
stranger and you did not welcome me ... Sick and in prison and you do
not visit me"(Mt 25, 42-43).
We must return to the most elementary gestures of humanity, and from
these the new koinè will be born, as an air for koinonia. Let's not
forget that these events happen in a country that has been under an
external military attack for 5 years and in which there are more than
two million internally displaced people. The practice of welcoming and
caring for others remains an imperative for our countrymen.
To conclude, I would like to quote the words of a priest of the
Moscow Patriarchate (Ukrainian Church), Bogdan Ogulčanskij: "Thanks to
its new status, the Church can learn to conceive itself as an integral
part of world orthodoxy, of world Christianity. For the episcopal
hierarchy, for priests, for theologians, the possibility of conceiving
the life of the Church not according to the local dimension opens up,
not separately but in collaboration, in contact with the rich experience
of European and global Christianity. This would give Ukrainian
Orthodoxy the opportunity to realize Christian values in the complex
and multi-faceted Ukrainian society, using dialogue, collaboration to
solve the serious social problems by practicing Christian mercy. "
The head of the Conference of Ukrainian Catholic Bishops Bronisław
Biernacki sent a message to Metropolitan Epifanij. The words of this
symbolic letter are addressed not only to the Metropolitan, but to all
of us: "May this task of great responsibility entrusted to you be
tirelessly illuminated by the action and power of the Holy Spirit ...
and your work in the vineyard of Lord bring new fruits of faith, hope
and charity and God-fearing life for Ukrainian Christians ". Communion
and the bond between what is ours and what is universal are the
leitmotiv for the Christians of our country and for all men of good
will".
