Money And Power: Main Factors Behind Recent Split Of ‘Independent’ Ukrainian Church

Money And Power: Main Factors Behind Recent Split Of 'Independent' Ukrainian Church

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An acute struggle for money and influence is deepening crisis between leadership of the newly-created ‘independent’ Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and one of the OCU founding entities, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kiev Patriarchate).

On June 24, the synod of the UCO adpoted a decision to deprive Filaret, of the right to govern the Kiev diocese, and, accordingly, to control local temples and monasteries. On June 23, suspended two priests [Archimandrite Andriy (Marutsak) and hieromonk Illia (Ihor Zelensky)] over their support to Kiev Patriarchate in the ongoing standoff.

On June 20, Kiev Patriarchate held own synod declaring its de-facto withdrawal from the OCU and declaring that Kiev Patriarchate continues to exist holding all its property and led by Patriarch Filaret. Filaret and his supporters also denounced the newly-created OCU as “Greek” and too dependent on the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. This move de-facto put an end to the OCU as a united entiy. The OCU was created from Kiev Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in late 2018 and then received the tomos of autocephaly from Constantinople in early 2019.

Ukrainian media revealed that the conflict between the current OCU leadership and Kiev Patriarchate lay in mostly financial field. According to Vesti Ukraine, prior to the creation of the OCU, then President Petro Poroshenko and Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I reached a secret document. Poroshenko promised the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople’s stauropegic monastery in Kiev control over a number of buildings and churches in Ukraine. The control over these properties was a bribe over Constantinople’s decision granting the tomos of autocephaly on the OCU. Kiev Patriarchate got control of many of these churches thanks to the assistance from the government in the 1990s.

Vesti added that as a result of the conflict for power between the OCU head Epiphanius and Filaret, the OCU appeared to be unable to fulfill its financial obligations (around $28m per month)to Constantinople. Filaret and his supporters still control most of financial flows within the structure. Therefore, Kiev Patriarchate withdrawal from the OCU is also a major financial blow to the newly created organization.

This situation creates additional tensions between the competing non-canonical groups in Ukraine and complicates relations between the OCU and its foreign patrons. In the upcoming months, the crisis will likely escalate even further because most of the sides involved in the OCU project see it as a tool of expanding own financial and political power. They are not ready to make any consequences in the developing conflict.

A brief look at the string of events that led to the creation of the non-canonical Orthodox Church of Ukraine with help from Constantinople:

Money And Power: Main Factors Behind Recent Split Of 'Independent' Ukrainian Church

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HardHawk

and why should any one care what the religious nuts are doing in Ukraine. Is this news?

Laurence Guillon

I care. It is very important for the people who are trying to understand that is going on there, it is the laboratory of what is waiting the whole Europe, and the metropolit Onufry is a holy man, the people he is caring for are prosecuted. So not everybody in the world is reacting like you are

HardHawk

religion as well the ones they represent them as the man you allegedly accept as god said, represent all is bad in this world along with drugs and perverts.

In free translation your jesus said.

Many will come after my death and claim to represent me and speak on my behalf but they be children of satan. You recognize them because they be dressed in rich man cloths with lots of gold on them and be living in marble palaces at the expense of the poor and the ones in need.

And the way I react kid, is the right way against all who represent dark energy in this world and one of them are the religious political leaders. may you find some good ones among the simple priests but never in the high ranks where all the darkness have took over. So spare me your mentality.

True90sKidDetractorsAreFags

You care only to lick Russian boots. Onufry is neither holy nor a man, but a heretic that serves only the Kremlin, who is rightfully being punished for his actions against Ukraine, as will the rest of his followers.

Laurence Guillon

This is so stupid and vile that it doesn’t deserve an answer. God will judge you.

True90sKidDetractorsAreFags

Yes, your comment is best summarized as such; too late, you’ve already provided a weak “answer” – God has already judged in favor of Ukraine thanks to the Tomos proceedings. You will soon suffer the consequences for your insolence against Ukraine, rest assured.

True90sKidDetractorsAreFags

It is, regardless of you being too brain-dead to understand it.

True90sKidDetractorsAreFags

A factually wrong infographic with terrible spelling featuring horseshit Kremlin propaganda and no author. Kill yourself, katzap pig.