Ukrainian Church (Moscow Patriarchate) to see parallel institution set up by Constantinople as schismatic - chancellor
MOSCOW. Sept 24 (Interfax) - If the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople takes steps to set up a parallel jurisdiction in Ukraine, the Moscow Patriarchate will see it as schismatic, Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary, chancellor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, said in an interview with the Ukrainian edition of Vesti.
"For some reason, Constantinople decided to employ precisely the reasons used by schismatics in conducting the healing process. And it is obvious already that this isn't healing the schism but, on the contrary, legalizing it. After all, it's impossible to create the truth by way of untruth. This way leads to an impasse from the very start. And it is clear that, if there is a canonical church in Ukraine and if some parallel institution is artificially set up, this would in fact be a schismatic institution," Metropolitan Anthony said.
It has been said increasingly more often about the existence of two ecclesiastical jurisdictions in the country in the future, Metropolitan Anthony said. "This scenario is destructive, as this would bury the very idea of a unified Orthodox church in Ukraine. It's for sure that there is not going to be a unified church in Ukraine not only in decades but also in centuries to come," he said.