In the new “Ukrainian Church” they will receive communion with popcorn
The story took an unexpected turn with the transition of the former Vinnitsa Metropolitan Simeon to the Poroshenko schism, who was banned from ministry after he joined the new structure subordinating from Istanbul.
According to the official website of the UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate, former Metropolitan Simeon, and now citizen Vladimir Shostatsky, filed a lawsuit demanding the cancellation of the decree of the Kyiv Metropolitan of Vladimir on the dismissal of the schismatic from the administration of the Vinnitsa diocese and his reinstatement.
According to church rules, Simeon-Shostatsky would have to send an appeal to the Kyiv Metropolis, and not the state court, notes the chairman of the Legal Department, Archpriest Alexander Bakhov.
“Does he really think that the court will return him to the rank of metropolitan? The fact is that from the point of view of labor legislation, Shostatsky did not have an employment relationship with either the Ukrainian Orthodox Church or the Primate of the Church, so this dispute is not the subject of civil proceedings,” the lawyer added.
He recalled the norms of Ukrainian law, according to which religious organizations “act in accordance with their hierarchical and institutional structure, select, appoint and replace personnel in accordance with their charters.”
“If state courts begin to decide canonical issues and interfere in church affairs, it will be a disaster. We are already seeing how the legislative and executive branches of government interfere in church affairs - there is not enough judicial power,” Bakhov added, thereby making it clear that Simeon-Shostatsky can enlist the support of his friend Petro Poroshenko and, using administrative resources, win the case, opening another front of war against the UOC-MP.
Kiev political scientist Dmitry Dzhangirov sarcastically commented on the message about the prospect of a high-profile trial. “Now I have no doubt that in the newly created OCU they will receive communion not with bread, but with humble bread,” the expert noted.
If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl + Enter.
Thank you!
Now the editors are aware.