ONLY FOUR HIERARCHS POSITIVELY RESPOND TO FILARET’S INVITATION

Only four hierarchs have come at the invitation of Patriarch Emeritus Filaret to commemorate the Hieromartyr Macarius and to have a "friendly conversation.”

This is reported by BBC.

Out of more than 40 hierarchs of the former UOC-Kyiv Patriarchate, the journalists noticed only Archbishop Klement of Simferopol and Crimea, as well as a group of the hierarchs of the Kyivan Patriarchate from Russia: Metropolitan Ioasaf of Belgorod and Oboyany, his vicar Bishop Peter and Bishop Adrian.

Archbishop Klyment (Kushch), notes the edition, came to  the celebration solely out of deference to Patriarch Filaret. One of the most influential hierarchs of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, who was the main rival of Metropolitan Epifaniy at the Unification Council for leading role in the new Church, Metropolitan Mykhailo of Lutsk and Volyn -- called by some media one of the possible allies of Patriarch Emeritus Filaret --did not come to the celebration.

Metropolitan Epifaniy also did not arrive at St Volodymyr's Cathedral. On this day he has a scheduled visit to Mariupol.

During the Liturgy, Patriarch Emeritus Filaret remembered Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All-Ukraine in the diptych of the Primates of the Local Orthodox Churches.

Yesterday, May 13, the same hierarchs of the former UOC-KP prayed at the Cathedral of St. Volodymyr at the all-night vigil, which preceded the Liturgy. According to journalist Yaroslava Mishchenko, who attended the Divine Liturgy, a split in the OCU did not take place.

“I once again congratulate Patriarch Filaret. He managed to create the freedom-loving Church, at least for that we will continue to be grateful to him. Although it will not be as it used to be before. Duality of power can no longer persist. Finally, this is dangerous,” wrote Mishchenko.

As RISU has reported, Patriarch Emeritus Filaret invited to St Vlolodymyr's Cathedral the former bishops of the UOC-KP to honor the Hieromartyr Macarius and to have a friendly conversation.

Patrairch Emeritus Filaret sent the invitation on the letter paper of the Kyiv Patriarchate to all bishops except Metropolitan Epiphany. After publicity in the media, he also invited the head of the OCU Epifaniy.

Previously, Patriarch Emeritus Faleret criticized the present Charter of the OCU and claimed that the Kyiv Patriarchate still existed. Today's “friendly conversation” with the hierarchs in St Volodymyr's Cathedral was called by some observers Patriarch Filaret's attempt to revive and lead the UOC-KP and thus split the OCU.