Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The Synod of the UOC did not leave the regime any hope for the legality of the “Ukrainian autocephaly of the UOC-MP is preparing changes to its charter

The Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) called on the vicar of the Kiev Metropolis Alexander Drabinko “not to discredit the rank of bishop with his indecent behavior,” the Ukrainian publication “Strana” reports, citing a message in the journal of the synod meeting, which took place on May 25, 2018.

The document notes that Metropolitan Alexander has recently actively supported Poroshenko’s appeal to the Patriarch of Constantinople to grant “autocephaly to Ukrainian Orthodoxy.” In this regard, the Synod of the UOC calls on Drabinko “to further refrain from any public appearances and statements that cause indignation among the episcopate, clergy and laity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and bring temptation into the hearts of believers.”

“If this fraternal admonition is ignored, the Holy Synod will be forced to make another decision of a disciplinary and canonical nature,” warn members of the synod.

The scandalous bishop was reminded that the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, at a meeting on April 25, 2013, “only recalled the certificate in Journal No. 23 dated February 21, 2012, and did not cancel it as such.”

We are talking about a certificate regarding Drabinko at the synod on February 21, 2012. It said, in particular: “Members of the Holy Synod of the UOC are forced to pay attention to the turmoil that the activities of His Grace Alexander (Drabynko), the personal secretary of the Primate of the UOC, are bringing into the life of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. His destructive actions and unworthy behavior, intrigue and way of life sow confusion and suspicion among the episcopate and clergy, giving rise to great temptation among believers. Taking advantage of the position of secretary of the primate of the UOC, a permanent member of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and head of the DECR of the UOC, he allows himself, on the air of secular national media, which already treat our Church with unfounded prejudice, to openly criticize the decisions of the Supreme Church Authority, artificially contrasting the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with its primate, which is a slander against the conciliar mind of the Church and a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. He allows him to unequivocally defame his fellow archpastors, members of the Holy Synod of the UOC... Numerous attempts at fraternal admonition on the part of members of the Holy Synod of the UOC and fellow bishops did not have the desired result.”

Then Drabinko was removed from the post of head of the synodal Department of External Relations of the UOC, removed from the Holy Synod and dismissed from the post of editor of the official website of the UOC. The meeting took place in the absence of the seriously ill former Primate of the UOC, Metropolitan Vladimir.

After Metropolitan Vladimir left the hospital, at a meeting on April 25, 2013, the mentioned certificate was “revoked.” However, it was not removed from the official website of the UOC. There is help on the resource even now.

The most serious accusation in it is “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.” In Christianity, this is considered the most serious, deadly sin.

Today, the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, on behalf of the Holy Synod

Previously Serbian Patriarch Irinej

Let us remind you that Ukrainian schismatics

On March 31, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) due to suspicions of “support for militias” and “anti-Ukrainian activities.” Representatives of the SBU believe that the priests are allegedly involved in “terrorist activities,” and the Russian special services are using the churches of the UOC-MP for “intelligence operations.”

On April 23, President of Ukraine Poroshenko, on the air of the “Freedom of Speech” program on the ICTV channel, said that, and the recognition of illegal Ukrainian autocephaly will become, which, in Poroshenko’s opinion, was committed in Ukraine by Russian soldiers, “propagandists and priests.”

According to Tikhon Goncharov, a participant in the expert initiative “South of Russia”, Poroshenko’s latest statements and actions indicate that he received a clear order -

Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate

Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, stated that

The Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) calls on the vicar of the Kyiv Metropolis, Alexander Drabynko, “not to discredit the rank of bishop with your indecent behavior.”
This is stated in the journal of the synod meeting, which took place on May 25, 2018.

Metropolitan Alexander has recently been actively speaking out in support of Petro Poroshenko’s appeal to the Patriarch of Constantinople to grant “autocephaly to Ukrainian Orthodoxy.” In this regard, the Synod of the UOC calls on Drabynko “to further refrain from any public appearances and statements that cause indignation among the episcopate, clergy and laity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and bring temptation into the hearts of believers.”
“If this fraternal admonition is ignored, the Holy Synod will be forced to make another decision of a disciplinary and canonical nature,” warn members of the synod.

In particular, they remind: “The Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, at a meeting on April 25, 2013, only recalled the certificate in Journal No. 23 dated February 21, 2012, and did not cancel it as such.”
We are talking about a certificate regarding the then secretary of the primate of the UOC (MP), submitted to the synod meeting on February 21, 2012. It said, in particular: “Members of the Holy Synod of the UOC are forced to pay attention to the turmoil that the activity of His Grace Alexander (Drabynko), the personal secretary of the Primate of the UOC, is bringing into the life of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. His destructive actions and unworthy behavior, intrigue and way of life sow confusion and suspicion among the episcopate and clergy, giving rise to great temptation among believers. Using the position of secretary of the Primate of the UOC, a permanent member of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and head of the DECR of the UOC, he allows himself, on the air of secular national media, which already treat our Church with unfounded prejudice, to openly criticize the decisions of the Supreme Church Authority, artificially contrasting the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with its Primate, which is a slander against the conciliar mind of the Church and a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. He allows him to unequivocally defame his fellow archpastors, members of the Holy Synod of the UOC... Numerous attempts at fraternal admonition on the part of members of the Holy Synod of the UOC and fellow bishops did not have the desired result.”

Then Drabynko was removed from the post of head of the synodal Department of External Relations of the UOC, removed from the Holy Synod and dismissed from the post of editor of the official website of the UOC. The meeting took place in the absence of the seriously ill former Primate of the UOC, Metropolitan Vladimir. After Met. Vladimir left the hospital, and at a meeting on April 25, 2013, the mentioned certificate was “revoked.” However, it was not removed from the official website of the UOC.

Holy Synod The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is the governing body of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, headed by the Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, in the period between its Councils of Bishops.
  • Evlogy (Gutchenko), Metropolitan. Sumsky
  • Joseph (Maslennikov), archbishop. Burynsky
  • Alypius (Kozoliy), archbishop. Dzhankoysky

For more information about the powers and organization of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, see the relevant sections of the Statute of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Statute of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Synodal institutions

  1. Administration of the affairs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
  2. Church court
  3. Department for External Church Relations
  4. Theological and canonical commission at the Holy Synod
  5. Liturgical Commission of the Holy Synod
  6. Commission for the Canonization of Saints at the Holy Synod
  7. Commission for Monasteries under the Holy Synod
  8. Commission for the preparation of amendments and additions to the Charter on the governance of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
  9. Educational Committee at the Holy Synod
  10. Publishing department
  11. Information and educational department
  12. Family Affairs Department
  13. Department of Religious Education, Catechesis and Missionary
  14. Youth Affairs Department
  15. Legal Department;
  16. Department of Social and Humanitarian Affairs
  17. Department “Mission Church and Culture”
  18. Department for Health and Pastoral Care of Medical Institutions
  19. Department for Pastoral Care of the Cossacks of Ukraine and Spiritual and Physical Education of Youth
  20. Department for interaction with the Armed Forces and other military formations of Ukraine
  21. Department for Pastoral Care of the Penitentiary (Prison) System
  22. Department for Architecture, Construction and Protection of Church Monuments
  23. Administrative and economic management
  24. Representation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
  25. Pilgrimage Center at the Department for External Church Relations

Used materials

  • Charter of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church:
  • Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, page of the site "Russian Orthodoxy":

Also, incl.

“The worst thing is to die in schism...”
The Synod of the Canonical Church in Ukraine spoke about autocephaly / Slavic Field

On May 25, at the residence of the Primate of the UOC-MP on the territory of the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, a meeting of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was held, at which an Appeal was adopted to the episcopate, clergy, monastics and laity regarding initiatives to “provide the Tomos of autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine " Also, incl.


Metropolitan Onuphry. Holy Synod of the UOC-MP, 2018


The information and educational department of the UOC on the website news.church.ua published the text of the document in Russian and Ukrainian.
With the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, the text of this Address was read out in all churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

His Beatitude the Metropolitan and the hierarchs of the UOC firmly stand for canonical Orthodoxy in Ukraine. The appeal reflects all the problems on this topical topic today. The most important thing: the Address says that Ukraine, first of all, needs peace. Every day people die in the civil war, stopping fratricide is the main task for everyone living in this country. The state authorities do not talk about the consequences that may occur for citizens from rash actions in connection with the consideration of the issue of the Tomos. For unity, it is not aggression that is needed, but peace, which is not visible on the part of those who are ready for autocephaly.

The Appeal reports that in recent weeks in Ukraine the possibility of unilaterally granting the “Tomos of autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine” by the Patriarchate of Constantinople has been actively discussed. However, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has not yet received any official communications from the Patriarchate of Constantinople on this issue. At the same time, it is known that the Local Orthodox Churches of the world also did not receive official letters from Constantinople that would relate to this issue.

At the request of the Primates of the Local Orthodox Churches, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine addressed them with letters in which he informed them about the current situation in Ukrainian Orthodoxy, and also outlined the attitude of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to the initiatives of granting the “Tomos of Autocephaly.”

Today it is known that the Primates and Councils of Bishops of the Local Orthodox Churches express a wary and negative attitude towards the provision of the mentioned Tomos as a means of overcoming the schism in Ukrainian Orthodoxy.


In particular, among the Local Churches there is a common opinion about the need to return schismatic church groups to the fold of the canonical Church, which will make it possible to discuss the issue of the status of a single canonical Church.


Kharkiv. 25th anniversary of the Cathedral of Slobozhansky Saints. On the right hand of His Beatitude Onuphry is Metropolitan John of Belgorod and Stary Oskol


This position of the Local Orthodox Churches of the world coincides with the position of the UOC-MP.

“From the beginning of the schism, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has consistently advocated the restoration of church unity,” the Address says. - However, in our deep conviction, the path to the restoration of church unity and to a possible autocephalous status should not run through the legalization of the schism and its replacement of the Church of Christ. In particular, in the Resolution of the Jubilee Council of the UOC, which took place in the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra on July 8, 2011, it was noted that “... the restoration of the unity of Ukrainian Orthodoxy should occur in accordance with the canons of the Orthodox Church, without the interference of political forces and through the return of those who has departed into the bosom of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church” (paragraph 11).

The main criterion in making all church decisions is the benefit for the Church, and the method for making such decisions should be a conciliar discussion of issues that are important and relevant both for the individual Local Orthodox Church and for the entire world Orthodoxy. Any individual or unilateral actions within the Church are a violation of the principle of conciliarity and threaten the unity of the Church.

From the recent history of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, we can conclude that the violation of the principle of conciliarity, the lack of a sense of the pulse of real internal church life, as well as the interference of political and other non-church forces in the internal affairs of the Church actually led to the emergence of a schism in Ukrainian Orthodoxy.”

The discussion about granting autocephalous status to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, as noted in the Appeal, has been going on for almost the last 100 years. However, during all this time, all initiatives in this direction lacked the spirit of conciliarity and compliance with church rules, which led to the unauthorized formation of non-canonical structures: first the “Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church”, and then the “Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate”.

Thus, historical experience indicates that the lack of canonical consciousness and obedience of the Church, the lack of conciliar discussion of important church issues, lack of patience and mutual understanding, pride, as well as the interference of political factors in church issues - all this does not lead to church unity, but only to splits. Therefore, this is an erroneous path that the Church of Christ should not follow. The history of the Church shows that those attempts at unity that were carried out “from above” were often not accepted by the church people, since they had political reasons and did not take into account the peculiarities of internal church life. After such “unifications”, on the initiative and with the active participation of the state authorities, churches became empty, because the church people felt the artificiality of such “unifications”. Interference in this process by forces external to the Church can further divide our people, and instead of the unity we all desire, we can get even more division.”


“Autocephalous status has a purely technical ecclesiastical nature, which consists in promoting the preaching of the Gospel on the territory of a separate state, and cannot be an instrument in geopolitical struggle,” the Appeal insists. - At the same time, autocephalous status is granted to the entire Church within a certain territory.

In this regard, it is necessary to realize that the emergence of another parallel jurisdiction in Ukraine may give rise to new confrontations within our people, which will not only threaten the security of the state, but also call into question the possibility of the future unity of the Church in Ukraine. Our people may be divided for a long time, if not forever.


The way out of this situation is seen in the restoration of church unity in Ukraine, and not in consolidating church division by establishing parallel church jurisdiction. We share the concern of the Ukrainian government about the presence of church schism in our country. However, we believe that to successfully resolve this problem, other conditions are needed, in particular peace and stability in our State. We have always contributed and will continue to contribute to the State in matters of moral and patriotic education, but we oppose the use of the Church in geopolitical struggle. We confirm our openness and readiness for any constructive cooperation and dialogue with the aim of achieving church unity.”

In this regard, we should remember the words spoken not so long ago by Metropolitan Sergius of Ternopil and Kremenets: “Tests continue. Each new level has its own challenges. The main thing is to keep faith, the main thing is to be with God. And one test will pass, and another. We need to remain human in any conditions under any dispensation. In trials we return to the Lord, in trials human love and its quality are manifested: both during illness, suffering, and in war. Trials show what our faith is, what our love is. ... You need to trust only in the Almighty, no matter what. ... But people don’t go to church, they sit at home and mind their own business. But we must run to God.

The inaction is alarming. People do not want to come to the Creator and repent. And how can the Lord help us if we do not ask Him, if we do not turn to Him, if we do not want to live His commandments, but demand that He give only what we need. What is important is repentance, awareness of our sinful life.

Don’t panic, don’t delve into socio-political conflicts, but take care of the structure of your heart and soul!”
* * *

It is also appropriate to recall the words once spoken by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' - during a visit to Ukraine, on the eve of the celebration of the day of the Baptism of Rus': “The worst thing is to die in schism...”

On that very day, a meeting of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church took place in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, at the residence of His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir of Kyiv and All Ukraine.

The Patriarch called on the lost to return as quickly as possible to the fold of the canonical Church, which is possible only through repentance.


Kharkiv. 25th anniversary of the Cathedral of Slobozhansky Saints


Let us recall that the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, whose meeting was then chaired by His Holiness the Patriarch, on that day published an Appeal to the Orthodox Christians of Ukraine who are in schism.

“For more than twenty years, the unrest caused by the church schism in Ukraine has continued,” the document says. - The discord and confusion, discord and resentment that he brought with him cannot but affect the life of Ukrainian Orthodoxy and society as a whole. The split passed through the destinies of people and violated family and social harmony. But its most terrible result was that a considerable part of believers to this day remain outside of communion with the grace-filled fullness of Ecumenical Orthodoxy. They are deprived of the opportunity to worship the common shrines of the One Church, to pray with their fellow believers, and to partake of the Most Pure Body and Blood of Christ from the same Chalice. For the main disaster to which schism inevitably leads is the impoverishment of divine grace. According to the first rule of St. Basil the Great, there is no doubt that in societies that have separated from church communion, the teaching of grace has become impoverished, because legal succession has been cut off. For... those rejected, having become laity, had no power either to baptize or ordain, and could not impart to others the grace of the Holy Spirit, from which they themselves had fallen.”

“Recently we have been receiving more and more evidence that many who have left the church are burdened by their current situation. It is even more sorrowful for us, according to the words of the Apostle: Our lips are open to you,... our heart is enlarged. You are not cramped in us; but your hearts are cramped (2 Cor. 6:11-12). What could be more desirable than the return of separated brothers to the saving fence of the One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church? This would be a true triumph of Orthodoxy, a triumph of the love of Christ! We pray for the approach of the hour when those who have drifted into schism will freely and naturally wish to return to the bosom of the Church; that this long-awaited day will come, which will bring peace and salvation to many tormented souls. And we believe that it will certainly come,” said the address of the Holy Synod.
* * *

An undoubted act of unity of our Church, carried out despite political strife, were the celebrations in Kharkov, held on June 1 of this year, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Council of Saints of the Slobozhansky region.

The celebrations were led by the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine.


After reading the Holy Gospel, the Primate addressed the flock with a word of sermon. The archpastor reminded the faithful of the history of the existence of the Church in ancient times and explained why the initiatives of politicians on church life will not benefit either the Church or the state. His Beatitude also spoke about the holiday on the occasion of which the service took place.

“25 years ago the feast of the Slobozhansky saints was established,” said His Beatitude the Metropolitan, “which included the ancient saints who were glorified before the revolution. But most of the saints who entered the Council were those who survived the revolution, who in this human chaos were lamps for people who did not lose either themselves or the path that a priest and a person should follow. This is the holy martyr Onuphrius of Kursk and other holy martyrs who testified their faith and love for the truth and for Christ with blood.

And we rejoice that we have such a Council of Saints. And we ask that these saints of God - they stand before the Throne of God - that they offer their prayers for us, so that we do not get lost in this crazy stream that is rushing somewhere, but rushing, most likely, to the end - to the end of the world .


And so that we do not lose ourselves in this chaos, so that we do not lose God in our soul, so that we do not lose the path that leads to Christ. Because many paths are offered to a person today: you can go there, and there, and there - but we forget about God, that we must follow the path that leads to God. This path must be followed by everyone: us - me first - and all priests, and all laity. Those who know God and those who do not - they all must follow this path. If a person takes a different path, he will be unhappy.”
During the Liturgy, a deep prayer for peace in Ukraine was offered.

In conclusion, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry congratulated the believers on the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Council of Saints of the Sloboda Region.

There are already about 60 glorified saints associated with Slobozhanshchina - these are the locally revered Kharkov saints, the saints glorified by the Church, who previously ruled the Kharkov diocese or its vicar bishops, the new martyrs of the Sloboda region, the Cathedral of Saints of the Svyatogorsk Lavra, and a special place is occupied by Saint John of Shanghai and San -Francis and St. Joseph of Optina, as well as other saints who were born here, lived, served, were in exile or imprisonment.

It should be remembered that Belogorye is a historical and spiritual part of Slobozhanshchina. The Council of Slobozhansky Saints includes Saint Joasaph of Belgorod and other holy archpastors of the lands of Belgorod and Kursk.


The head of the Belgorod Metropolis, Metropolitan John of Belgorod and Stary Oskol, presented an icon to His Beatitude Hieromartyr Nicodemus (Kononov), Bishop of Belgorod with a particle of his holy relics. The Belgorod archpastor noted the symbolism of the fact that on this day the memory of the Council of New Martyrs and Confessors of the Belgorod Land is also celebrated.

After the Liturgy, a religious procession took place with the participation of children, which ended with a thanksgiving service on the territory of the diocesan administration.
_______

Photo of the information department of the UOC MP

"132683"

The Synod of the UOC did not leave the regime any hope for the legality of “Ukrainian autocephaly”

The canonical church in Ukraine does not ask anyone for autocephaly

On May 25, the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) adopted a number of decisions showing strong rejection of the initiatives of the Kyiv regime regarding “Ukrainian autocephaly.”

At a meeting of the Synod, the Primate of the UOC (MP), Metropolitan Onuphry, signed the “Appeal of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to the episcopate, clergy, monastics and laity regarding initiatives to “provide a Tomos of autocephaly for the Orthodox Church in Ukraine.” In the very title of the Appeal, “granting the Tomos of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine” is put in quotation marks, as absurd, because the only canonical Orthodox church structure in Ukraine has not asked or is asking for any autocephaly from anyone.

As explained in the Appeal, “autocephalous status has a purely technical ecclesiastical nature, which consists in promoting the preaching of the Gospel on the territory of a separate state, and cannot be an instrument in geopolitical struggle.” That is, it is explained to the “geopoliticians” from the Vinnitsa market that autocephaly is allowed only where preaching the Gospel without it is difficult. For example, the capital of the metropolis is under the rule of infidels (like Constantinople since 1453) or has fallen into heresy (like Constantinople in 1445) and therefore is not able to lead the Christian mission locally. At the same time, individual branches of the Church are “flourishing,” such as, in particular, the metropolitanate in the Moscow kingdom, where the government was the only sovereign and Orthodox one in the world. The same, of course, cannot be said about the Uniates, Jews, Baptists, Scientologists and others who have now seized power in the cradle of East Slavic Orthodoxy.

“We share the concern of the Ukrainian government about the presence of a church schism in our country,” the Synod of the UOC (MP) patiently explains. “But we believe that to successfully resolve this problem, other conditions are needed, in particular peace in our State.”

Well, the Orthodox bishops encouraged the following message: “TodayThe Primates and Councils of Bishops of the Local Orthodox Churches express a wary and negative attitude towards the provision of the mentioned Tomos as a means of overcoming the schism in Ukrainian Orthodoxy. In particular, among the Local Churches there is a common opinion about the need to return schismatic church groups to the fold of the canonical Church, which will make it possible to discuss the issue of the status of a single canonical Church.”

The second most important of the acts of the Synod of May 25 is the “judgment on the activities of His Grace Metropolitan Alexander of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky and Vishnevsky, Vicar of the Kiev Metropolis” - the same one who for ten years now has been serving for all Ukrainian authorities as the locomotive of “Ukrainian autocephaly” and for this treated kindly by the authorities in every possible way.


Alexander Drabinko The Synod of the UOC (MP) called on “not to discredit the rank of bishop with your indecent behavior.” Recently, Metropolitan Alexander, between libations and subsequent rehabilitation measures, actively spoke out in support of Petro Poroshenko’s appeal to the Patriarch of Constantinople to grant “autocephaly to Ukrainian Orthodoxy.” The Synod calls on Drabinko to “refrain from any public appearances and statements that cause indignation among the episcopate, clergy and laity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and introduce temptation into the hearts of believers.” And further: “If this fraternal admonition is ignored, the Holy Synod will be forced to make another decision of a disciplinary and canonical nature.”

In particular, a reminder was made about the certificate regarding Drabinko, attached to the journals of the Synod meeting dated February 21, 2012, which stated: “Members of the Holy Synod of the UOC are forced to pay attention to the turmoil that the activities of His Grace Alexander (Drabinko) are bringing into the life of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. , personal secretary of the Primate of the UOC. His destructive actions and unworthy behavior, intrigue and way of life sow confusion and suspicion among the episcopate and clergy, giving rise to great temptation among believers. Using the position of secretary of the Primate of the UOC, a permanent member of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and head of the DECR of the UOC, he allows himself, on the air of secular national media, which already treat our Church with unfounded prejudice, to openly criticize the decisions of the Supreme Church Authority, artificially opposing the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to its Primate, which is a slander against the conciliar mind of the Church and a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. He allows him to unequivocally defame his fellow archpastors, members of the Holy Synod of the UOC...”

Then Drabinko was removed from the post of head of the DECR of the UOC (MP), removed from the Synod and dismissed from the post of editor of the official website of the UOC (MP). The meeting took place in the absence of the seriously ill former Primate of the UOC, Metropolitan Vladimir. After Metropolitan Vladimir left the hospital, the mentioned certificate was “revoked.” Drabinko repented before the Synod, but his petitions were not believed. Only on April 25, 2013 did the metropolitans succumb to the persuasion of Metropolitan Vladimir, who emphasized that it was a disgrace for the Church that such accusations were made against the primate’s secretary. However, the decision to “revoke the certificate” did not mean the charges against Drabinko were dropped. The “revoked” certificate was not removed from the official website of the UOC (MP). Help is still available on this resource. The most serious accusation against her is “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.” In Christianity, this is the most serious, deadly sin.

And yet the Synod limited itself to a half-measure. Drabinko has demonstrated more than once that he always counts on the support of the “father of the nation.” Only excommunication can prevent the canonical bishop from leaving for a self-sacred structure in order to give it the appearance of apostolic succession. According to our information, in the already prepared structure of the “United Local Orthodox Ukrainian Church”, the position of “administrator of affairs” has been reserved for Drabinko.

The decision of the synod of the UOC (MP) to approve the nun Evlampia Eliseikina as the abbess of the Kyiv Florovsky Monastery is also related to Poroshenko’s “autocephaly”. According to the “monitoring” conducted in the Vinnytsia diocese by Metropolitan Simeon (an old friend of Poroshenko), even in this fiefdom of the “father of the nation” not a single monastery agreed to the illegal “autocephaly”. However, the EPUC needs a precedent for a canonical monastery to go to them. In April, the beloved Abbess Antonia rested in peace in the Florovsky monastery, which is highly revered by believers. In her place, the autocephalists saw the Odessa abbess Serafima Shevchik - an open admirer of the “feat” of the Uniate “martyr church” and a longtime co-worker of Drabinko. The nuns of the Florovsky Monastery immediately threatened to riot in the event of such an appointment. The hierarchy of the UOC (MP) eliminated this rebellion in the bud, fulfilling the will of Mother Antonia and installing nun Evlampia as abbess, to the joy of the Orthodox Kievans.

And for the Kyiv authorities, the Synod had an unpleasant surprise. The abbot of the Desyatinny Monastery, Gideon Charon, is elevated to bishop. This is the Klitschko mayor’s response to the decision to demolish the monastery following calls from Nazi activists. The latter several times besieged and set fire to the monastery, which, in their opinion, was built illegally. The “illegality” in fact lies in the fact that the sacred place near the ruins of the first Russian stone church is claimed by the “Kiev Patriarchate” - the basis of the supposed EPUC.

And, finally, the decision “On the celebration in 2018 at the general church and state level of the 1030th anniversary of the Baptism of Kievan Rus.” The organizing committee included the vicar of Kiev-Pechersk, Metropolitan Pavel, hated by the Ukrainian Nazis; Metropolitan of Lugansk Mitrofan; Metropolitan Anthony and Bishop Victor listed on the terrorist website “Peacemaker”; Bishop Sylvester, who has been targeted by Russophobic media, parliamentarian Vadim Novinsky, who is most irreconcilable with “autocephaly”, and poet Oleg Karamazov, who writes in Russian. Since the “state level” is not clearly visible here, Abbess Serafima Shevchik was included in the organizing committee. It is important that in the journal of the Synod regarding the celebration of Epiphany there is no phrase “Rus-Ukraine”, which is used to check the degree of loyalty to the ideology of the regime.

Well, it is also worth paying attention to the establishment by the Holy Synod of the UOC of the day of remembrance of the saint, the prayer book for the Russian Tsar Nicholas I.

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