Filaret's second letter is a failed ultimatum to the Russian Orthodox Church
The head of the so-called "Kyiv Patriarchate", unrecognized in the Orthodox world, Mikhail Denisenko, who calls himself "Patriarch Filaret", wrote another letter addressed to the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). In it, he addresses the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (the foreign part of the Russian Orthodox Church), Metropolitan Hilarion.
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Unlike published almost two weeks ago letters to Patriarch Kirill, where Denisenko “modestly” signed “your brother”, in this letter he does not hesitate to call himself “Patriarch of Kyiv and All Ukraine-Rus”. More assertive and specific and the content of the letter. There is no hint of repentance in it. In practice, it's almost a requirement. The demand to cancel the anathema (excommunication) imposed on him in 1997 and the demand for autocephaly for ... the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), to which Mikhail Antonovich himself has been irrelevant for a quarter of a century.
He cannot fail to know that under the name “Ukrainian Orthodox Church” the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine registered the canonical UOC (MP), while the organization of Denisenko himself is officially registered under the name “Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate.” In any case, it turns out to be a completely absurd requirement.
Even if the "Kyiv Patriarchate" were recognized in world Orthodoxy as canonical, it would not have the right to interfere in the affairs of another church, demanding autocephaly for one of its parts. Moreover, this is impossible, given that for world Orthodoxy there is no "Kyiv Patriarchate". If the "Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchate" asks for autocephaly for itself, then the Moscow Patriarchate physically cannot provide it, since the "Kiev Patriarchate" is not part of it (even if it were canonical). Autocephaly can only be granted by a local church to its own part.
It is also noteworthy that this letter was signed on the same November 16 as the first one (according to the time of publication). However, it could in no way be accepted in Moscow, either because of the absurd demands or because of the ultimatum form.
It remains to be assumed that this letter was written "backdating" - in order to "documentary" confirm Denisenko's statements at his press conference December 1, that he, as the “Patriarch of Kiev,” “stretched out the hand of reconciliation to the Russian Orthodox Church for the sake of autocephaly,” and not for the sake of forgiveness of his “non-existent sins.” And thus to divert accusations of "patriots" of "zrada" from oneself. Well, since this requirement is extremely absurd, it has been published so far in the form of a "leak": you can find it only by the direct address in the download database of the Uniate (i.e., allied to the "Kyiv Patriarchate") RISU site, but not by searching on this site, and even more so - not in the news or articles.
Obviously, the calculation is as follows: if the completely degraded Ukrainian “media” swallow this nonsense and thoughtlessly circulate “Filaret’s demands on the Moscow Church”, the letter will also be published on the official website of the “Kyiv Patriarchate”. If there are doubts about the adequacy of the author of the message, the letter will be declared a fake, written by the "hand of Moscow."
Or… the old man just went crazy.
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