Polemics from Ukrainian Bishop Evlogy

Kiev, November 26, (Interfax) – Bishop Evlogy of Kremenchug and Khorol believes Catholic structures back up the idea of autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

“Catholic West stands for Ukrainian autocephaly. Please, remember, the very idea of the so-called “Kiev Patriarchate” belonged to Uniates, who understand the union of Churches as their subordination to Rome,” Bishop Evlogy said in his interview to Kremenchug Pravoslavny paper. As was seen when Rome refused to hear the appeal of the Pidhirtsi Fathers case because it was a matter internal to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, or when the UGCC wrote their own catechism, or elect their own bishops, or glorify their saints, or meet in synod without Roman intervention, etc. etc.

He sees the “direct interest” of Greek Catholics in autocephalous status of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. According to the Bishop, Uniates “understand that an attempt to introduce autocephaly won’t do any good for Ukrainian Orthodoxy, and more likely it will cause a new, more serious schism in it.”

“It (schism – IF) will suit Uniates well as they will try to dramatically improve their positions not only in Western regions, but in the whole Ukraine,” Bishop Evlogy said.

He also reminded that the head of the Kiev Patriarchate Filaret Denisenko once voiced his consent to prayerful unity with Rome.

However, the Bishop thinks that the country’s Orthodox believers “consider autocephaly a deviation from the faith of their fathers, do not want it and will protect their faith and unity of the Church.”