News

Metropolitan Alexander (Drabinko) who proclaimed himself Constantinople cleric says each Ukrainian orthodox bishop should choose whose side to belong

Kiev, October 17, Interfax - Parish and diocesan meetings and every particular church hierarch should answer the question of their possible conversion to a united local Ukrainian church, Metropolitan Alexander (Drabinko), a well-known hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, formerly the secretary of the late Metropolitan Vladimir (Sabodan) of Kiev and currently a vicar bishop of the Metropolitan of Kiev and the father superior of the Savior Transfiguration Cathedral, said.

"This process should be monitored by the entity that is an arbitrator for us - the Ecumenical Patriarchate [...] since the Synod of the Constantinople Patriarchate invalidated at its latest meeting the transfer of the Metropolitan of Kiev to the Moscow Patriarchate. From then on, we can assume that Ukrainian territory is a territory of the reinstated Metropolitan of the Constantinople Patriarchate. Since that moment [when the decision was issued], we all are now clerics of the Church of Constantinople," Metropolitan Alexander of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky and Vishnev said in an interview with Hromadske.TV, an online television channel.

"If we consider that today, the entirety of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of both Kiev and Moscow Patriarchates is part of the Church of Constantinople, then indeed, the name will have to be changed, we will have to name ourselves the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine, in which I see nothing criminal," he said.

"To make sure that all is peaceful and well", every bishop of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate has to hold a diocesan meeting, and the clergy should convene parish meetings in order to decide who wants to be part of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and who wants to stay in submission to the Moscow Patriarchate, he said.

His choice as to whether to convert to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church or stay in the Moscow Patriarchate will be his personal decision and "remain the personal responsibility of the Master himself," Metropolitan Alexander said.

"As to what I will do and how: we will make our decision jointly at a parochial council after all our community comes to an opinion. Then, I will have my final vote," he said.

It was reported earlier that a well-known hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Alexander (Drabinko) presented himself as a cleric of the Constantinople Patriarchate.

On October 11, the Istanbul-based Synod invalidated its 1686 decree on the handover of the Metropolitanate of Kiev to Moscow and establishing of its mission to Kiev. It also rehabilitated the leaders of self-proclaimed Orthodox churches in Ukraine. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate has rejected the decisions. In reaction to the moves by Constantinople, the Moscow Patriarchate itself held a meeting on October 15 to declare a total severing of ties with the Church of Constantinople.

Print this page

Home

News

.	Customize latest news

• Russian Catholics don’t believe in islamization of Europe 07 June 2019, 15:30
• Leaders, members of 15 Jehovah's Witnesses cells held in Dagestan 07 June 2019, 10:55
• World will be better if people follow Bible, Torah, Koran - Putin 06 June 2019, 18:01
• Russian Catholics urge not to have illusions about possible pontiff's visit to Moscow 06 June 2019, 17:05
• The Russian Orthodox Church is not ready to welcome the Pope of Rome in Moscow 06 June 2019, 16:04
• Putin to meet with Pope Francis 06 June 2019, 14:34
• Russian Jews pray for “lifting up” the soul of the reposed wife of the Israel’s president 06 June 2019, 11:32
• Russia's Jews present country as example of tolerance for Europe 04 June 2019, 18:48
• Remembrance of Great Patriotic War protects Russia from xenophobia, anti-Semitism - Putin 04 June 2019, 17:48
• Putin attends unveiling of monument to heroes of resistance in concentration camps 04 June 2019, 17:41
• Russian Muslim community plays major role in combating extremist ideology - PM Medvedev 04 June 2019, 11:28
• Putin notes Russian Muslims' contribution to peoples' unity, fight against extremism 04 June 2019, 11:25
• Last Sobibor uprising survivor dies 03 June 2019, 18:17
• Kiev Patriarchate does not exist, never existed - Patriarch Bartholomew 03 June 2019, 14:54
• Constantinople cannot solve complicated religious situation in Ukraine - Russian Orthodox Church 30 May 2019, 19:45
• Putin congratulates Jews on Salvation and Liberation Day 30 May 2019, 19:00
• Protests against construction of churches plotted by outside forces - Russian Orthodox Church 28 May 2019, 18:42
• Church on site of first Russian settlement Fort Ross in U.S. to be restored 28 May 2019, 17:27
• Russian Orthodox Church to open churches in Cyprus, Sweden 28 May 2019, 17:26
• Yekaterinburg residents offer some 50 sites for church construction 27 May 2019, 18:37
• Patriarch Kirill in meeting with Mijatovic asks Council of Europe to control observance of believers' rights in Ukraine 27 May 2019, 18:35
• Churches in Russia to keep being built as long as people need it - Patriarch Kirill 27 May 2019, 18:14
• Patriarch Kirill hopes for end to discrimination against Orthodox Christians in Ukraine under new president 27 May 2019, 18:13
• Europe, Russia should turn over page of misunderstanding - Patriarch Kirill 27 May 2019, 17:18
• Patriarch Kirill tells secretary general of Council of Europe is concerned about human rights issues 27 May 2019, 14:14
• Putin, Patriarch Kirill discuss matter of plans to build Yekaterinburg church – Peskov 27 May 2019, 13:42
• Metropolitan Kirill compares situation with church construction in Yekaterinburg to tsar's family killing 27 May 2019, 12:31
• Patriarch Kirill sanctifies Church of All Saints in Strasbourg 27 May 2019, 11:27
• Hegumen arrested after stabbing, injuring monk at Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius 24 May 2019, 19:10
• Putin congratulates Patriarch Kirill on name day, suggests he loosen up work schedule 24 May 2019, 17:48

Other news