Orthodox churches in Ukraine. Dossier. Will the Russian Orthodox Church be banned in Ukraine?

Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), which, as is known, is part of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) with rights of broad autonomy. I understood the situation.

Essence of the question

Ukrainian Orthodox Church The Moscow Patriarchate is the only canonical church in Ukraine recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. 39 percent, that is, the majority of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians are parishioners of the Moscow Patriarchate. There is another denomination - the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP), which was denied canonical status. The UOC-KP is considered an alternative Orthodoxy (in religious terminology this is called a schism, that is, a split, a schism of the church).

How do the Churches of the Moscow and Kyiv Patriarchates differ in practice and why is the first recognized as canonical and the second not? A person who enters Ukrainian churches once or twice a year to light a candle will not find any differences, but they exist, and significant ones. The Moscow Patriarchate, for example, does not accept a free interpretation of prayer, or the invention of new icons or frescoes. It is unacceptable for clergy and parishioners of the UOC-MP to pray for the repose of a conditional enemy - more precisely, they do not define enemies in principle, which cannot be said about the UOC-KP. Also, the Moscow Patriarchate conducts services in Church Slavonic, and the Kiev Patriarchate - in Ukrainian, translating the Holy Scriptures in its own way. But the key difference is that the founder of the UOC-MP is considered. The Church is in unity with Ecumenical Orthodoxy, with common sacraments, while the Kiev Patriarchate recognizes only those sacraments that it likes.

It was precisely in order to subjugate the objectionable faith that Ukrainian politicians developed a bill oppressing the UOC-MP. The Moscow Patriarchate decided to oblige it to obtain consent from the state for the appointment of priests and abbots up to regional level. The Church will also have to receive approval for visits and approve the composition of foreign delegations coming to Ukraine for preaching activities. And the parishes, of which there are, according to various sources, from 12.5 to 14 thousand in the country, after the adoption of the bill, will have to enter into some kind of agreement with the authorities.

Remove Kirill from prayers

What will be the subject of this document is not disclosed. However, it is known that it stipulates conditions that oblige the UOC-MP to “respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and laws of Ukraine.” What could we be talking about? That the UOC-MP completely loses its independence, and that the name of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill is not mentioned in prayers. - guarantor of the canonicity of the UOC MP. If the name of His Holiness is removed from the prayers, then parishes of many thousands will lose their canonicity, and at the same time their dogmatic provisions, rituals and teachings. According to a source in the UOC-MP, who spoke to Lenta.ru on condition of anonymity, this is exactly what Ukrainian politicians want.

Photo: Anatoly Stepanov / ZUMA Press / Globallookpress.com

“First they will tell us: don’t pray for Patriarch Kirill. Then, I do not exclude this, they will be forced to include words for the health of the servant of God Peter [President Poroshenko] in the prayer service. Then they will be forced to paint the walls of the monasteries with flags (Ukrainian Insurgent Army, banned in Russia). And if this or that bishop refuses, they will push him to the wall and ban the activities of the parish,” our interlocutor believes.

At least the last statement of the Lenta.ru source can be officially confirmed. According to the bill, all parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate will indeed have to undergo the re-registration procedure and obtain the opinion of certain independent experts. If they do not fulfill the conditions of the government experts, they will not be able to function in the future. According to the chairman of the legal department of the Church, Archpriest Alexander Bakhov, this is aimed primarily at interfering in the activities of the UOC. A similar opinion is shared by Oleg Denisov, a human rights activist from the public organization “Orthodox Ukraine”. “Trying to actually legalize the scheme of political pressure on religious organizations, the authors of the bill compiled an illogical and erroneous cocktail of legal norms, the application of which is impossible in practice,” Denisov believes.

At the same time, we should not forget that in addition to the spiritual aspect and faith we're talking about also about quite material things. According to statistics, now the UOC MP has 45 dioceses, over 12 thousand parishes, 20 educational institutions, three laurels and 183 monasteries, in which more than 4.5 thousand monks live. These are tens of thousands of buildings, structures and other religious structures with expensive decoration, luxurious utensils, rich iconostases and unique holy images. If translated into money, these are cosmic amounts. The schismatic UOC-KP, led by Metropolitan Filaret, who once declared himself “the Patriarch of Kyiv and All Rus'-Ukraine,” has long had its eye on all this wealth.

Photo: Yuri Martyanov / Kommersant

Deny cannot be allowed

Experts from the Verkhovna Rada commissions also agree that the bill is unconstitutional. This time they couldn't help but notice the obvious. In particular, their conclusions indicate that “there is reason to believe that the agreement [between UCM MP and the state] may contain an opaque list of obligations.” Experts also point out that at present, the norms of the Criminal Code of Ukraine clearly define the responsibility that comes for encroaching on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine. And the Law of Ukraine “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations” already spells out the principles of interaction religious organizations who carry out their activities in the country.

The commission concludes its conclusions as follows: “The bill restricts the right to freedom of worldview and religion, contains signs of discrimination and divides citizens of Ukraine on religious grounds. The adoption of this project could lead to new conflicts in the country’s social and religious environment, and would also have a negative impact on the international image of Ukraine.”

But if the violations of the bill and its anti-constitutional trail are so obvious, why is the Rada bringing it up for consideration? The second half of May and June promise to become very hot in the Ukrainian parliament and politics in general. The post-Maidan Ukrainian government sometimes receives loans from various authoritative organizations - it topped the rating of the most corrupt states. Now the authorities are preparing for the next controversial step: allowing the sale of agricultural land. The constant increase in tariffs for housing and communal services, the rise in prices for gasoline, medicines, bread and other goods and services add fuel to the fire.

In such a situation, the threat of destruction of the parishes of the main denomination of the country is a reason to divert attention. The political technology is clear: national radicals, hiding behind icons, will demand the closure of “pro-Moscow” churches throughout the country. Ukrainian citizens will stand up for the defense of their parishes, priests, and spiritual mentors. Meanwhile, the authorities will quietly pass a package of laws in parliament, because of which the people will become even more impoverished. There are already enough examples of UOC-MP churches being captured by nationalist groups banned in Russia. IN different regions Ukrainian radicals are religious buildings, beating parishioners and forcibly transferring churches to the Kyiv Patriarchate.

Cathedral city - Kyiv. Cathedral- Refectory Church of St. Anthony and Theodosius of Pechersk.

By the decision of the Synod of the UOC dated December 23, 2010 (magazine No. 49) in the Kyiv diocese of the vicariate: Brovary, Pereyaslav-Khmelnytsky, Makarovsky, Yagotinsky.

By the decision of the Synod of the UOC dated September 25, 2013 (magazine No. 58), it was separated from the Kyiv diocese. The Kyiv diocese includes the city of Kyiv, Vasilkovsky, Borodyansky, Ivankovsky, Kiev-Svyatoshinsky, Makarovsky, Obukhovsky, Polessky and Fastovsky districts of the Kyiv region.

Diocese today(as of December 2017)

From the report of Metropolitan Onufry of Kyiv and All Ukraine at the diocesan meeting of the Kyiv diocese on December 25, 2017:

Unites parishes and monasteries on the territory of Kyiv and 7 districts of the Kyiv region: Obukhovsky, Vasilkovsky, Fastovsky, Makarovsky, Borodyansky, Kiev-Svyatoshinsky and Ivankovsky.

There are 33 deaneries in the diocese - 32 parish (15 in Kyiv and 17 in the region) and a monastery.

There are 396 parishes in the diocese (163 in Kyiv and 233 in the region).

There are 23 monasteries: 13 male (including) and 10 female. In addition, the Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine is subordinate to 9 stauropegial monasteries UOC (including 3 male and 5 female).

At the end of 2017, 777 clergy served in the parishes and monasteries of the Kyiv diocese: of them in Kyiv - 524 (443 priests and 81 deacons), in the region - 253 (229 priests and 24 deacons).

In monasteries, including stauropegial ones, 1035 people serve as monks: 455 in men’s and 580 in women’s.

There are 12 diocesan departments and 2 commissions.

Report of Metropolitan Onufry of Kyiv and All Ukraine at the diocesan meeting of the Kyiv diocese (December 25, 2017)

(Uniates): the process of legalization of the Uniate Church in Western Ukraine took on the character of religious aggression against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and terror against Orthodox Christians in this region; illegal actions of the Uniates are not stopped by local authorities, but on the contrary, the latter, when transferring churches to the Uniates, make discriminatory decisions against Orthodox Christians; in such conditions, the Orthodox, under pressure from the Uniates and local authorities supporting them, not wanting to accept the union, are often forced to move to the so-called Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC).

In this regard, the episcopate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church adopted an Appeal to His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, which contained proposals designed to strengthen the authority of the hierarchy of the UOC for more active opposition to schismatics from the UAOC and the Uniates.

1. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is granted independence and autonomy in its governance.
2. In this regard, the name “Ukrainian Exarchate” is abolished.
3. The Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is elected by the Ukrainian episcopate and blessed by His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.
4. The Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church bears the title “Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine.”
5. The Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine, within the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, is given the title “Most Beatitude.”
6. The Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine has the right to wear two panagias and present a cross during Divine services.
7. The Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church elects and appoints ruling and suffragan bishops, establishes and abolishes dioceses within Ukraine.
8. The Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, as the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, is a permanent member Holy Synod Russian Orthodox Church.
9. This Determination of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church is subject to approval by the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church with the introduction of appropriate changes to the Charter on the governance of the Russian Orthodox Church.

UOC under Filaret (Denisenko)

Soon three bishops - Bishops of Chernivtsi Onufry (Berezovsky), Ternopil Sergius (Gensitsky) and Donetsk Alypiy (Pogrebnyak) - disavowed their signatures under By appeal. The next day, January 23, by decision of the Synod of the UOC they were removed from their departments.

The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, held on February 18-19, adopted an appeal to Metropolitan Philaret and the episcopate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with the demand “ Immediately reconsider the decision of the Ukrainian Synod of January 23 in order to bring peace to the hearts of the brother bishops and to their grieving flock, who are now crying out for justice in the Church. This will preserve church peace and the unity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church».

Split

In connection with numerous non-canonical interventions of the Moscow Patriarchate in the internal affairs of our Church and on the basis that Ukraine became an independent state on December 1, 1991, we bring to the attention of Your Holiness that the Act of 1686 on the transfer of the Kyiv Metropolis to the Moscow Patriarchate ceases to be valid.

We turn to Your Holiness with hope that you will take this into account and take the necessary actions to canonically streamline the current situation of our Church.

Kharkov Cathedral

Fulfilling the Decree of the Holy Synod of May 21, Metropolitan Nikodim (Rusnak) of Kharkov and Bogodukhov, on May 27 convened and headed the Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which, by its location, went down in the history of the UOC as Kharkov.

On May 14, Metropolitan Nikodim sent Philaret a letter in which he asked him to fulfill his promise and convene a Council of Bishops “for the sake of peace in our Church.” But there was no answer.

17 archpastors arrived at the Bishops' Conference.

The Council made some changes and additions to the Charter of the UOC concerning the procedure for electing and the status of the Primate of the UOC; The composition of the Synod of the UOC was also expanded - to seven people, four of whom are permanent. The name of the state within which the UOC carries out its mission was changed. In his actions, making changes and additions to Charter on the governance of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the Council of Bishops was guided by Section XIV, paragraph 2 of the previously valid Charter, which stated: “The Council of Bishops has the right to make corrections to this Charter, with subsequent approval by the Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.”

The main act of the Kharkov Council was the expression of no confidence in Metropolitan Philaret, his removal from the Kyiv See, from the post of Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and his inclusion on staff due to the failure to fulfill the oath promise to resign from the post of Primate of the Ukrainian Church, given by him at the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church on March 31 - 5 April 1992. This act was committed in the absence of Metropolitan Philaret, who refused to attend the Council of Bishops of the UOC and ignored the calls repeatedly sent to him. For committing schismatic actions, the Council, as a pre-trial measure, banned Metropolitan Philaret from serving in the priesthood until the final decision on this issue by the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church.

After this, on the basis of Section V, paragraphs. 12.13 of the Charter, the election of a new primate of the UOC took place. In the second round, Metropolitan Vladimir (Sabodan) received 16 votes and was elected Metropolitan of Kyiv and Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Under Metropolitan Vladimir (Sabodan)

Being in canonical unity with the Moscow Patriarchate, we have a real opportunity to influence its church policy, which is in no way possible to do from the outside. At the same time, the UOC, together with the Russian Orthodox Church, represents the largest jurisdiction with an influential and authoritative voice in Orthodox world. In addition, our canonical unity makes an invaluable contribution to the creation of friendly relations between Ukraine and Russia and is the key to peace and stability - both between states and within them. If the political forces in Ukraine cannot take advantage of the opportunities of the UOC on issues in which our interests coincide, then this happens not through its weakness or connection with Moscow, but through the lack of a constructive dialogue with the Church. Unfortunately, our opponents are not able to think long term, since their thoughts turned out to be locked within the narrow boundaries of the primitive Bolshevik-nationalist worldview or the commercialism of Western ideology.

The Primate of the UOC is elected by the Ukrainian episcopate and blessed by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. The Primate of the UOC is a member of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, and the Ukrainian episcopate participates in the Bishops' and Local Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church, in the elections of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

According to the Charter of the UOC, higher authorities Church power and administration of the UOC are: the Council of the UOC, the Council of Bishops of the UOC (Council of Bishops) and the Holy Synod of the UOC chaired by the Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine.

With the exception of three regions of Galicia (Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Ternopil), the UOC is the dominant denomination throughout the country.

Discussion around the issue of canonical autocephaly and the boundaries of autonomy

At the end of 2007, a discussion arose due to the fact that assumptions began to be made that the hierarchy of the UOC was seeking to legally obtain autocephaly. The main ideologist of obtaining “canonical autocephaly” of the UOC from the Moscow Patriarchate is usually considered Bishop of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky (since December 19, 2007) Alexander (Drabinko), vicar of the Kyiv diocese; he himself rejects such suspicions. Archpriest Maxim Khizhiy (cleric of the Vladimir diocese) believes that “the question of autocephaly of the UOC is a problem of time, and of the immediate future.” On February 4, 2008, the Moscow newspaper “Moskovsky Komsomolets” published an interview with Bishop Alexander (Drabinko), in which he, in particular, said: “Opinions on this matter among believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are different.<...>As for the Bishops' Councils of the UOC, they spoke out on this matter a long time ago. Today this issue is not on the agenda.”

In connection with the approval of the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church by the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in January 2009, paragraph 18 Chapter VIII which states that “in its life and activities, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is guided by the Tomos of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' of 1990 and the Charter of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is approved by its Primate and accepted by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus',” the Ukrainian newspaper “Segodnya” wrote that such the status of the UOC “sets it apart from the list of other self-governing Churches within the Moscow Patriarchate that do not have expanded rights.”

At the end of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Vladimir (Sabodan) answered the journalist’s question: “Do you still need autocephalous status or not?”: “This status should crown all our efforts. But first we need to achieve unity. Any status can be approved, acceptable or unacceptable.<…>»

UOC and the Ukrainian state

During the Kharkov Council in May, the administration of President Kravchuk supported Mister Filaret (Denisenko) and, according to Mister Nikodim, put direct pressure on him.

The UOC is in conflicting relations with other Orthodox Churches officially registered in Ukraine - the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. From time to time, reports appear about the claims of these churches to the premises and property of the UOC and even about the seizure of parishes.

After Victor Yushchenko's victory in the presidential election, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II expressed concerns about maintaining the church status quo in Ukraine.

The UOC has a negative attitude towards the “joint prayers” of representatives of different jurisdictions, which became popular under V. Yushchenko.

The Council of Bishops of the UOC, held at the end of January 2007, expressed bewilderment regarding the proposal of the President of Ukraine to “sit down at the negotiating table with false shepherds.” The bishops of the UOC decided to create a commission that will receive letters of repentance from representatives of the Kyiv Patriarchate “who wish to return to the fold of the canonical Orthodox Church.” For its part, the Synod of the UOC-KP at its meeting on February 28 reacted favorably to V. Yushchenko’s appeal regarding the possibility of dialogue with the UOC.

According to media reports, the brother of Ukrainian President V. Yushchenko, Verkhovna Rada deputy Petr Yushchenko, headed public organization For local Ukraine, which will deal with the issues of unifying Ukrainian Orthodoxy and creating a single local church.

At the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church held at the end of June 2008, Patriarch Alexy II in his report to the Council on June 24 stated: “<…>The schism of Ukrainian Orthodoxy arose precisely as a result of the invasion of political elements into church life.” And Vsevolod Chaplin, in his expert report, said about the situation in Ukraine: “It is impossible not to recognize the existence of an active and direct church-state dialogue in Ukraine. At the same time, government authorities - both at the central and local levels - provide significant assistance in resolving practical problems of the Church, including the construction and reconstruction of temple buildings, the establishment of the cultural, educational and social mission of the Church. At the same time, alarming news is coming from Ukraine. In particular, numerous appeals are received from clergy and laity who ask His Holiness the Patriarch to protect the unity of the Church, which they value and which they are ready to defend even in the most difficult circumstances. When heard repeatedly, including from the lips of the President of Ukraine V.A. Yushchenko, assurances that the state does not intend to interfere in church life and decide for believers which churches they should go to, there are many cases of pressure government agencies central and regional level at the choice of believers. In these circumstances, the hierarchy of our Church has repeatedly emphasized that the politicization of church problems and attempts to cope with them by secular methods inevitably lead only to even greater difficulties in resolving existing difficulties. The most likely consequence of political interference in the sensitive sphere of church life may be the destabilization of the social situation.” At the same Council, on June 25, Metropolitan Vladimir, in particular, said: “We are pleased that the state in Ukraine is concerned about the problem church schism and considers overcoming it one of his priorities. At the same time, the active participation of the state in resolving church problems sometimes has negative sides. The state’s intentions may be good, but the ways in which they are implemented can lead to even more serious consequences when old schisms are replaced by new ones. The threat of precisely this development of the situation arises when representatives state power They ignore the position of the largest Church in Ukraine, take certain actions aimed at healing the schism, without its knowledge, without consulting its Primate. In such cases, we consider the actions of our government to be unauthorized and beyond the limits provided for by the Constitution of Ukraine in the field of church-state relations.”

Dioceses of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Notes

1. paragraph 18 Ch. VIII Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church: “The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is self-governing with the rights of broad autonomy. In her life and work, she is guided by the Tomos of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' of 1990 and the Charter of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is approved by its Primate and approved by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.”
2. Sociological survey: “What church do you consider yourself to be a believer in?” , 2006, Razumkov Center
3. On the official website of the UOC
4. ZhMP. M., 1990, No. 5, pp. 4 - 12.
5. Documents of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church. Moscow, St. Daniel's Monastery, October 25 - 27, 1990. Definition of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church // ZhMP. 1991, no. 2, p. 2.
6. ZhMP. 1991, no. 4, p. 8
7. JMP. 1992, No. 6 // Official Chronicle, pp. XI-XII.
8. JMP. 1992, No. 6 // Official Chronicle, p. XII.
9. Quote from: VI.3 The question of the unity and status of Ukrainian Orthodoxy - the modern stage. From the book by Alexander Drabinko. Orthodoxy in post-totalitarian Ukraine (milestones of history)
10. Definition of the Consecrated Jubilee Council of Bishops on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. // ZhMP. 2000, no. 10, p. 19.
11. Definition of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church (January 27-28, 2009) “On the life and works of the Russian Orthodox Church”
12. Definition of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow, January 27-28, 2009) “On the Statute of the Russian Orthodox Church”
13. see interview with Patriarch Alexy II 12/19/2001
14. see interview with Mr. Vladimir dated February 27, 2007
15. DEFINITION OF THE CONSCICATED ANNIVERSARY COUNCIL OF BISHOPES OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH ON THE UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH Moscow, Cathedral of Christ the Savior, August 13-16, 2000 08/16/00
16. Church newsletter No. 1-2(374-375) January 2008
17. Comparison of the new Charter of the UOC dated December 21, 2007. with the current Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church. Lawyers' opinion. Analytics. Quotes. On the website otechestvo.org.ua 02/14/2008.
18. Journals of the meeting of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on May 31, 2007
19. Report of His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir of Kyiv and All Ukraine at the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow, June 2008) On the official website of the UOC.
20. “Ukrainian Orthodoxy at the turn of eras. Challenges of our time, development trends." Video on the MP official website June 25, 2008
21. Statistics of Ukrainian Old Believers have been published blagovest-info.ru 07/19/07.
22. From where baptism comes, from where comes rebirth. Interview with the secretary of Metropolitan Vladimir (Sabodan), Bishop of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky Alexander (Drabinko). // “Moskovsky Komsomolets” February 4, 2008
23. Where baptism comes from, hence comes rebirth. Interview with the secretary of the head of the UOC-MP, Bishop of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky Alexander (Drabinko) portal-credo.ru February 04, 2008
24. Celebration of the Holy Synod of the UOC on November 22, 2006 Address of the Holy Synod of the UOC to the President of Ukraine, the head of the Verkhovna Rada and the Prime Minister dated November 22, 2006
25. Dmitry Skvortsov. Ukrainian Orthodoxy: Is a new schism coming?
26. Most of the hierarchs of the UOC-MP participated in the consecration of the “main ideologist of canonical autocephaly” of the Ukrainian Church portal-credo.ru on December 20, 2007.
27. God gives a holiday, and “EDIOTS” work... Statement by Bishop Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky Alexander (Drabinko), secretary of the Primate of the UOC, editor-in-chief of the official website of the UOC dated January 6, 2008
28. Maxim Khizhiy. Ukrainian Orthodox Church on the eve of autocephaly. ej.ru January 18
29. The issue of autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is not on the agenda, the vicar of its first hierarch declares to Interfax.ru on February 4, 2008.
30. A meeting of the Bishops' Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church took place. On the official website of the UOC
31. On the website bogoslov.ru
32. Changes to the Charter on the governance of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church were registered by the state on the official website of the MP on June 10, 2008.
33. The Orthodox community is concerned about the discrepancy between the Statutes of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Moscow Patriarchate. Interfax.ru April 15, 2008
34. Protocol No. 2 of the meeting of the Council of Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
35. Chapter VII of the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church
36. Journal of meetings of the Holy Synod of the UOC dated July 16, 2008
37. The UOC retained broad autonomy
38. Metropolitan Vladimir: “Should the church really be silent?” . Russian Newsweek (February 2, 2009). - In an interview, Metropolitan Vladimir explained that there will be autocephaly, but only after the reunification of the entire Orthodox Ukraine. Retrieved February 12, 2009.

It is the successor of the Kyiv Metropolis of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, established in 988, which in the 17th century passed into the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate, which, in turn, is the successor of the ancient Metropolitans of Kyiv.

The UOC received the rights of broad autonomy according to the Tomos of Patriarch Alexy II and the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church from October 25-27, 1990. Its borders are defined within the borders of the Republic of Ukraine. The UOC is the largest religious organization throughout the country, with the exception of three western regions (Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Ternopil).

The Primate of the UOC received the title “His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine.”

According to data presented on June 25, 2008 at the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church by Metropolitan Vladimir, the UOC consists of 43 dioceses, which are governed by 54 four bishops (of which 43 are ruling and 11 are vicar), and has about 10,900 real communities. In Ukrainian

The Orthodox Church is served by 8,962 clergy (of which 8,517 are priests and 445 deacons), there are 20 educational institutions (one academy, 7 seminaries and 12 schools), 3,850 Sunday schools. There are 4,650 monastics in 175 monasteries, of which 85 are male and 90 are female.

Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC)

The Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church dates back to a nationalist-oriented Ukrainian church group, non-canonically formed in 1920, destroyed in the 30s, restored under German occupation in 1942 and preserved in post-war years only in emigration, mainly in Canada, while all the remaining churches of the UAOC (as well as the UGCC) on the territory of Ukraine were transferred to the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church.

On August 19, 1989, the parish of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Lvov, headed by its rector, Archpriest Vladimir Yarema, announced its withdrawal from the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. At the council in 1990, Metropolitan Mstislav (Skrypnik) was elected primate, after whose death most of the bishops of the UAOC came under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate or the newly created Ukrainian Orthodox Church - the Kyiv Patriarchate. The second head of the UAOC in the modern period was Yarema with the title of “Patriarch Dimitry” (died in 2000). In November 2000, Methodius (Kudryakov), bearing the title of “Metropolitan of Ternopil and Podolsk,” was elected as the new primate of the UAOC. The UAOC in Ukraine has 11 dioceses.

The total number of parishes (data for 2001) is 556, the number of priests is 409.

The canonical status and relations of the UAOC with the Orthodox Churches remain unsettled.

Distributed mainly in Western Ukraine.

Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchate (UOC-KP)

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate was established on the so-called. "All-Ukrainian Orthodox Council", held on June 25-26, 1992, and included the breakaway part of the former Ukrainian Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church and part of the UAOC. The main creator of this movement is former metropolitan Kiev and Galitsky, Exarch of Ukraine (ROC) Filaret (Denisenko), who, after losing the elections to the Moscow patriarchal throne in 1990, entered into an alliance with the first President of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk.

Today bears the title " His Holiness Patriarch Kyiv and All Rus' Ukraine".

This church proclaims its beginning from the baptism of Rus of Ukraine and calls itself the heir of the Kyiv Metropolis and is composed of

Patriarchate of Constantinople, which existed until the 17th century.

However, the canonicity of the so-called The Kyiv Patriarchate was not recognized by either the Russian Orthodox Church or other local Orthodox churches, including the Church of Constantinople.

By the decision of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, which was held on February 18-23, 1997 in Moscow, monk Philaret was excommunicated from the Church for schismatic activities (he was deprived of all degrees of the priesthood by the Act of the Council of Bishops back in 1992).

According to the UOC-KP, the church includes about 4,000 parishes, united in 29 dioceses, about 40 bishops serve in it (most of them were appointed by Philaret after his anathema).

To that religious association include four higher theological institutions, two theological seminaries, 48 ​​male and female monasteries

In addition, the country has Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC)

The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church also traces its history to the Baptism of Rus in 988, but actually arose as a result of the Union of Brest in 1596, when all the bishops of the then Kyiv Metropolis of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which was within the framework of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, accepted the authority of the Pope and Catholic dogmatics while preserving Byzantine rite. It took root in the western part of Ukraine, which was part of the Polish state and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Is the largest Catholic Church Eastern rite. After being supervised Soviet authorities Lviv Cathedral of 1946, part of the UGCC was included in the Russian Orthodox Church, and part went underground. Historically, it was an important component of Ukrainian national movement in the Polish regions, in the post-war period it remained an active force in the Ukrainian diaspora. It was legalized in the USSR in 1990 and quickly came out of hiding, regaining most of the churches in the wake of national upsurge. In the early 1990s, there were frequent physical clashes with Orthodox Christians over churches.

According to the Catholic yearbook Annuario Pontificio for 2008, the number of believers is 4 million 284 thousand people. The church has about 3,000 priests and 43 bishops. The Church owns 4,175 parishes, dozens of monasteries and more than 10 secondary and higher educational institutions.

The Primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is the Supreme Archbishop of Kiev Galician Cardinal, His Beatitude Lyubomir Huzar (since January 26, 2001).

IN last years The Church is lobbying the Vatican to recognize Candinal Huzar as a patriarch - so far unsuccessfully.

It is the dominant denomination in the Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, partly in the Ternopil region, and is actively spreading to the East of Ukraine. In 2005, the department of the head of the Church was moved from Lviv to Kyiv, where construction of the cathedral is underway.

The material was prepared based on information from open sources

Verkhovna Rada deputy Dmitry Tymchuk, who initiated a bill on the expulsion of “separatists from Orthodoxy” – the UOC (MP), called the churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate “propaganda points against Ukrainian statehood.” At the same time, it is appropriate to call the pro-Kiev schismatics of Metropolitan Philaret (Denisenko) real separatists, who can now grab an unprecedented jackpot, because all the property of the expelled Orthodox “Muscovites” will fall into their hands. The Ukrainian authorities, who are toying with the idea of ​​​​creating a “single local church” cut off from Moscow, will also receive their dividends. But for Patriarch Kirill, what is happening may end with a sudden “retirement.” And who knows what other consequences the expulsion of the UOC (MP) from Ukraine will entail?

Vadim Novinsky, people's deputy of Ukraine, sponsor of the UOC (MP)

– I consider attempts to push laws No. 4511 and No. 4128 through the Rada as anti-church, anti-state, and anti-Ukrainian. These laws are capable of causing civil war on religious grounds. They allow the authorities to carry out raider seizures of church property and ban objectionable denominations. And, as we know from history, the most merciless and bloody wars arose precisely on religious grounds. Over the past three years, more than 45 churches have been seized and transferred under the jurisdiction of the Kyiv Patriarchate. This is being done illegally, we have seen how priests are beaten and parishes are robbed. But these were isolated conflicts, and now there will be hundreds, thousands of them.

Russian-Ukrainian political scientist Rostislav Ishchenko, who fled from Kyiv, called the attempt to ban the UOC (MP) “evidence of the transition of the conflict in Ukraine to a new, more violent phase civil war" and "turning it into a religious war." But most likely the expert is puffing out his cheeks, and in reality nothing special will happen. And the ritual on the topic of the fact that parishioners of the UOC (MP) in the country are the majority and they certainly will not tolerate bullying of their church are empty words. By the way, there has never been a single case in which parishioners of the UOC (MP) recaptured a church on their own that had been captured by schismatics or autocephalists. Meek lambs, not parishioners. They run to the slaughter ahead of the slaughterers.

But it’s time to ask the question: how did it happen that the parishioners of the “Moscow Church” in Ukraine are so divided and weak-willed? And whose fault is this – is it not Patriarch Kirill? Who, if not he, called his Ukrainian flock to humility? So now they are wiping themselves off, exposing their cheeks to slaps. Meanwhile, bill No. 4511, submitted to the Rada with the remarkable title “On special status religious organizations whose leadership centers are located in a state recognized by the Verkhovna Rada as an aggressor” allows for the start of an unprecedented “derivation” of the church property of the UOC (MP). Three laurels, 183 monasteries, 12 thousand parishes, 20 educational institutions, plus all Crimean church property. Yes, yes, it is still on the balance sheet of the UOC (MP), and not at all the Russian Orthodox Church, as is commonly believed. Truly a tasty morsel! And the schismatics of Filaret (Denisenko) and their fellow travelers from the autocephalous church are already licking their lips at him. One way or another, they will get the lion’s share, because it is on the basis of these two churches in Ukraine that a single local church is being created through the efforts of Petro Poroshenko and his Maidan workers. Poroshenko has far-reaching plans for it - it is she who, apparently, will have to proclaim a “holy war” with Russia. Following Denisenko’s schismatics, they already called for “ holy war“, but they don’t have the same authority.

So far, consideration of the bill has been temporarily postponed - there are not enough votes for adoption. But in a week or two they will certainly return to voting: the Speaker of the Rada, a notorious Russophobe, Andrei Parubiy, has this tactic. There weren't enough votes today - enough tomorrow. So the expulsion of the UOC (MP) from Ukraine is almost a done deal. But what will be the consequences of this expulsion?

Version 1

Kyiv will receive its own church, separate from Moscow

The only reason why the Ukrainian authorities did not favor Denisenko’s schismatics (and at the same time the autocephalousists) was their non-recognition by Archbishop Bartholomew of Constantinople. Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, component The Russian Orthodox Church is the only canonical church in Ukraine recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. No matter how intriguing the schismatics were, demanding to cancel the act of 1686 on the transfer of the Kyiv Metropolis to the Moscow Patriarchate, there was no reaction from Constantinople. But a subtle hint followed: create a local church in the country, gather all Orthodox Christians together, and we will recognize you. The schismatic and autocephalous churches instantly agreed to this, but their support group turned out to be too worthless. Now, if you were to take away believers from the UOC (MP), then it would be a different matter! The official ban on the “Muscovite church” is a historic chance for those who dream of a local church in Ukraine. Petro Poroshenko is one of these dreamers. If he achieved a visa-free regime with Europe, he will also achieve a local church, because, in fact, no one opposes his plans.

Version 2

Parishioners of the UOC (MP) face persecution, and churches face pogroms

“Ultimately there will be no Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine,” the RT channel quotes “a source in the administration of the President of Ukraine.” What will happen? And there will be pogroms, the vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, is convinced: “Raider seizures of churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, against which a full-scale war is being waged, will actually be legalized. More than 40 temples have already been captured. If previously the canonical community filed a lawsuit and won trial, then now any group of people can declare themselves to belong to one or another schismatic community and seize the temple.” Well, if it still fails to “squeeze” the temple through the courts, it can be easily destroyed, without any risk of ending up in jail. “Temples were captured before, priests were beaten, killed, forced to emigrate,” explains Rostislav Ishchenko, “but these were interpreted as excesses. And voting to ban the UOC (MP) legalizes the pogromists. This is a reason to fight."

Version 3

Patriarch Kirill will leave the post of Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church (MP)

A year and a half ago, Vsevolod Chaplin, who was fired from his post as head of the Synodal Department for Relations between the Church and Society, prophesied that Patriarch Kirill would have to leave, including in connection with the Ukrainian events. Last fall, Kirill’s early departure was again discussed - not because of Ukraine, however, but in connection with a scandal involving the church bank Peresvet. But it was then that the patriarch was first reminded of his position on reunification with Crimea - Kirill was absent from the Kremlin’s St. George’s Hall during Vladimir Putin’s famous “Crimean speech.” And now, opponents of rapprochement with the Roman Curia within the Russian Orthodox Church are again demanding the removal of the patriarch - for abandoning the Ukrainian laity to the mercy of fate. The problem is that it’s too late for Kirill to make any sudden moves; he seems to have already given up Kyiv. All that remains is to leave - either now and voluntarily, or a little later, but forcibly.