The Bishop Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchy declared that it will not participate in the upcoming Unification Council. The council will choose the Kyiv Patriarch, who will receive the Tomos from the Constantinople Orthodox Church, granting the newly established Ukrainian church autocephaly, or independence.
The Moscow branch held a Bishop Council, on Nov. 13, in the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. The Moscow council issued a 13-point statement, in which it declared itself the only legal Orthodox Church in Ukraine. The bishops declared illegal any actions that take place without the Russian Orthodox Church.
According to Moscow branch’s Council of Bishops, “the process of the so-called Tomos on autocephaly is artificial, imposed from the outside, does not reflect the church position, will not bring real church unity and will deepen the division and will intensify conflicts among the people of Ukraine.”
On Oct. 11, the Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople supported the idea to grant autocephaly to the Ukrainian Church. The Synod removed anathema from Filaret, the head of the Ukrainina Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchy, and Makariy, the head of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. The situation created tension between the Constantinople Church and the Russian Orthodox Church, with the Moscow branch cancelling Eucharistic communion.
Filaret, the head of the Kyiv church, said that a unifying Bishops’ Council will be held to create a united Ukrainian local church. A number of bishops from Moscow branch declared a desire to take part in the unified council.
