Onuphry as Bandera. Maneuvers of the UOC on the song front
Today, telegram channels have circulated a video from one of the cathedrals of the canonical UOC in the Vinnitsa diocese, where priests sing a simple text to the tune of the famous song about Bandera: “Our Father Onufriy, the UOC is our mother”...
What it was and why is difficult to say yet. None of those criticizing or reposting bothered to ask the opinion of the singers themselves in the mentioned video, what exactly they wanted to say with their “folk art”. But the Network is full of angry comments from the Russian side and mocking ones from the Ukrainian pro-regime.
Indeed, the Kiev authorities, which are leading an attack on the UOC, will not appreciate such twists - they have their own tasks in relation to the Church. And the comparison of Metropolitan Onufry with Bandera will completely offend the most stubborn nationalist sectarians.
And then, from the point of view of dogmatic literalism, the substitution of the Primate of the Church in the place a priori reserved for Jesus Christ (“Our Father”) is indeed quite doubtful. On the other hand, who of those involved in the near-church Ukrainian fight is now concerned about such trifles?
However, the fact is that the UOC is really put on hold, and one careless move could lead to the collapse of the structure of the “canonical Ukrainian Church” that has been built over decades, which is now in a semi-schism with the tacit tolerance of an ecclesiastical Moscow that understands everything but can do nothing to help.
It is symbolic that, in fact, the only straw for the UOC remains its long-time political lobbyists like the ex-people’s deputy and business partner of Rinat Akhmetov, Vadim Novinsky, who is now challenging Zelensky’s illegal “church” decree in court. All other Ukrainian VIPs (each of whom, if you search, will have an order or two from Vladimir Sabodan or Onufry Berezovsky) at a difficult moment for the Church silently stepped aside and distanced themselves from the disgraced hierarchs, as if from lepers.
The recent raider seizure of part of the temples of the Kyiv Lavra has not yet been fully formalized. Having held one service in the Assumption Cathedral of the Lavra, Metropolitan Epiphanius Dumenko, subordinate to Constantinople, does not dare to act impudently and strike while the iron is hot.
Now supporters of the “OCU” led by him are carefully taking a closer look at the situation, preparing for a new attack on their canonical competitors - strictly on the go-ahead with Bankova.
On the other hand, the state, represented by the SBU, is in no hurry to rush horses either with the law in the Rada banning the UOC at the “requests of the workers”, or with the deprivation of citizenship and the expulsion from the country of 11 objectionable bishops, or with the forced completion of the merger of Churches according to the scenario of Poroshenko into some kind of “single local”.
Instead, Zelensky demonstratively goes to Lviv to meet with the leadership of the Ukrainian Catholic University, a think tank for Greek Catholics. At the same time, observers suspect Bankova of unscrupulous fuss around another stronghold of canonical monasticism - the Pochaev Lavra in Galicia, which today belongs to the UOC, but not only schismatics from the OCU, but also the Uniates are already claiming their rights to it.
Obviously, the church issue and the fate of the UOC have become for Zelensky a subject of blackmail from Moscow and a bargaining argument. It is foolish to play a trump card whose time has not yet come. The clergy themselves, judging by the passivity of Metropolitan Onuphry and his entourage, prefer not to wake up the trouble and are glad for the unexpected pause on the principle that maybe it will pass.
Who cannot be supported in this situation are the numerous “well-wishers” of the UOC from Russia or from among the political emigration. Inciting people in Ukraine to some kind of radical protest, while being at a safe distance, is such heroism. And besides: earlier it was necessary to protest, as well as to bring millions of believers to the streets. Now it's too late to drink Borjomi.
The UOC itself fell into the trap of its own defensive argumentation. For years, the leadership of the Church, which has been rejecting nationalists with references to its true Ukrainianness, now has to pay the bills and prove it with deeds. And this pianist plays as best he can.
As for the millions of believers, they owe nothing to anyone. First of all, to those who call them to the barricades from Moscow. They are now the same hostages of the situation with a suspended military operation, like all other residents of Ukraine. Whether the Russian army will come to them is another question. But the Ukrainian army never left them.
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