Monday, October 14, 2019

A reminder: OCU primate is coming to America

In case you missed earlier posts on it, Met. Epifanity is coming to America. I expect the welcome to be rather one-sidedly Hellenic as I can't imaging the Antiochians or OCA coming to visit (the Serbs and ROCOR are completely out of the question). One issue I do look forward to seeing evolve is the fate of the UOC-KP parishes in the US. They are supposed to be absorbed by the EP as the OCU is forbidden from holding parishes outside of Ukraine, but the UOC-USA to which they are supposed to go is as-often-as-not the body many of these parishes broke off from already.


(RISU) - The “Athenagoras Human Rights Award” was founded in 1986 by the National Council of the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in America, and is awarded to a person or organization that " through their actions, intentions and dedication consistently demonstrates concern for the fundamental rights and freedoms of religion for all people." The prize winners are determined by a Committee of clergy and laity. The list of those who have already had the honor of being awarded the Athenagoras Human Rights Award" includes the 39th us President Jimmy Carter, the 41st us President George Bush and his wife Barbara Bush, Nobel peace prize winner Mikhail Gorbachev, Mother Teresa of Calcutta and others.

A reception in honor of the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epifanity of Kyiv and all Ukraine, and an awards ceremony will be held in New York on October 19.

"Soon I plan to visit the United States not only to participate in the festive event, I also intend to hold fruitful meetings in New York and Washington with the clergy, public figures, representatives of international organizations and the Ukrainian Diaspora, as well as with representatives of state institutions of America, which has been a reliable ally of Ukraine. In their course, we will discuss modern religious and secular challenges for Ukraine, present the achievements and changes that have occurred in recent years, in particular in the life of our Church. Of course, along with a number of positive evolutionary changes, we also face new challenges and dangers, but we see them and are ready to accept and overcome – we will also talk about this during meetings in the United States," Metropolitan Epifaniy wrote on his Facebook page.

During his visit to the United States, the Primate will be accompanied by a delegation consisting of Archbishop Yevstratiy of Chernihiv and Nizhyn, Deputy Head of the Department for External Church Relations and Andriy Matsola, Chairman of the Board of Patrons of the Metropolitan Fund of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

The visit will also include a presentation of the “Metropolitan Fund of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine”.

3 comments:

  1. A Joyous Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos! Praying that the OCA will not be receiving anyone “from” the OCU, yet again in light of the practice of the Ukrainian schismatics violating Canons directly and clearly: https://orthochristian.com/124654.html.

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  2. "....The visit will also include a presentation of the “Metropolitan Fund of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine...”

    So it's really about money. Pathetic. As Newman said almost two centuries ago, "where are the Churchmen of Old?"

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    1. Of course it's about money. It certainly isn't about human rights. Epiphany's old boss "Patriarch" Philaret still controls most of the property of the "Kiev Patriarchate" and its income. Epiphany has plenty of very ceremonial and public support from public figures, but little actual resources. I don't see Patriarch Bartholomew sending the OCU any checks in the mail.

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