Our hope Filaret
The “story with Tomos” (the granting of church autocephaly to Ukraine by the Patriarchate of Constantinople) may “end in vain” if two non-canonical confessions - the “Kiev Patriarchate” and the UAOC - do not agree on a merger.
The Ukrainian weekly “Mirror of the Week” writes about this today.
“They’re waiting – the air is trembling with tension. And they are waiting in Moscow. And on Phanar. And in Ukraine. But what: will they come to an agreement - or as always? After all, this is not the first time - how many “unifications” have already been promised between the UOC-KP and the UAOC. And it always failed. And mutual accusations and insults always followed,” the publication writes.
According to Zerkalo Nedeli, the schismatics cannot yet come to an agreement, since “patriarch” Filaret believes that the sect he leads should receive the tomos.
“Patriarch Filaret is a key figure in the Moscow game. Patriarch Kirill took a deep breath and bet on the incompetence of the head of the UOC-KP. And if everything falls through this time, given the degree of electrification of the public, disappointment may turn into apathy, which will delay the resuscitation of the “autocephaly” project for years. Especially if the supposed new Ukrainian government does not need it,” the weekly complains.
“Zerkalo Nedeli” admits that even if the aggressive Filaret becomes the head of the united church structure, this will scare off many parishioners of the canonical UOC-MP, who could potentially switch to another denomination.
However, the weekly rejoices, the Patriarchate of Constantinople also has a “plan B” in relation to Ukraine.
“The situation on the chessboard is radically changed by the appearance of the Constantinople stauropegy - the actual accession of Ukraine to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Even if the Unification Council fails, there remains the opportunity for everyone to maintain unity with the Church of Constantinople operating in Ukraine: to join it on an individual parish basis. Judging by what is said in the final document of the Synod at the Phanar, Kyiv is only the first stage, then stauropegia may appear throughout Ukraine. This plan is called even more preferable for Constantinople,” the article says.
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