Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department for External Church Relations, in an interview with Sputnik on Wednesday hailed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for not meddling in church affairs
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th July, 2019) Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department for External Church Relations, in an interview with Sputnik on Wednesday hailed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for not meddling in church affairs.
"Archbishop of Constantinople Bartholomew I was promised that [ex-Ukrainian president Petro] Poroshenko would remain in power and would complete the forced involvement [of worshipers] ... in the newly created autocephaly of [the Orthodox Church of Ukraine]. But Poroshenko did not remain in power. The new president of Ukraine [Zelenskyy] does not interfere in the church affairs, and this does him credit," Hilarion said.
He believes that Bartholomew I understands that it is impossible to forcibly unite all believers under one single church.
"He was promised that as soon as he grants the tomos [decree] of autocephaly to Ukraine, the bishops of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church will join the newly created structure. But this did not happen, and this could not happen. The canonical Church cannot unite with schism, even if it is legalized by Constantinople," he added.
Hilarion was referring to the division of the Orthodox Church that started in 2018. Back then, Poroshenko administration's launched a massive crackdown on the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church following the establishment of a new Ukrainian church that was recognized by Constantinople Patriarch Bartholomew in January 2019.
The Russian Orthodox Church along with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate has refused to recognize Constantinople's decision, calling it the legalization of schism and a tragic day for the Orthodox world.
