Three in one: Poroshenko compared the autocephaly of the church with the aspiration of Ukraine in NATO and the EU

The autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has the same meaning for Kiev as the aspiration for NATO, the association agreement with the EU and the breach of the friendship treaty with Russia. This was stated by the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

"Autocephalous is a weighty event from the same series as the aspiration in the EU and NATO, the association agreement (with the EU. - RT ), the visa-free regime with the EU, withdrawal from the CIS, breaking a false friendship agreement with Russia and the like that, ”he wrote on Twitter.

Poroshenko stressed that all the measures listed by him are part of the "own" path of development of Ukraine.

However, highlighting all these steps taken by the Kiev authorities, Poroshenko actually listed all the main points by which he and his team managed to divide the Ukrainians into several camps, said political analyst Vladimir Kornilov.

“Poroshenko outlined the main points where he and his team achieved the separation of Ukrainians into several camps. They did everything in order to split the language, geopolitical, geostrategic choice. Now, to all this, a religious schism has been added. That is, everything where they could bring a split into the Ukrainian state and society they perform, ”he said RT

According to Kornilov, the actions of the Kiev authorities "shake" the state and may lead to a deterioration of the situation in the economy and the social sphere.

“They are doing everything to shake this state. We already see the consequences of falling away from Ukraine in a number of regions. And now they just add to that. Now the centrifugal trend after such decisions will only increase. That is, the rule of Poroshenko has already led to mass de-industrialization, depopulation of Ukraine. Now this new push will only strengthen these trends, ”the political scientist emphasized.

Poroshenko is taking demonstrative steps to distance himself from Russia, which are actually destroying Ukraine, says Deputy Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and World Politics at the HSE Andrei Suzdaltsev.

“But in fact, if you take all the measures Poroshenko to distance from Russia, then they are just demonstrative. Trade is expanding, people both traveled and traveled, businessmen, and science fled to Russia. That is, these measures seem to be destroying it to strengthen the statehood of Ukraine. Of course, the autocephaly of the Ukrainian church is a measure that absolutely destroys Ukraine, ”he said.

In the ostentatious actions of the Ukrainian leader, the State Duma deputy Ruslan Balbek also blames, commenting on Poroshenko’s RT statement about “three Ukrainian brands,” which allegedly “contributes to Moscow”

“The Ukrainian army causes pity, the National Guard is ridiculed, and the Ukrainian autocephaly is a fair indignation of the Orthodox world. Poroshenko's statement is like the self-admiration of a madman, they say, I am violent and unpredictable, so the neighbors twist their fingers at their heads and bypass, ”said the deputy.

Earlier, on October 13, the President of Ukraine called the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the National Guard and the Autocephalous Church "brands" of their country.

“There are three Ukrainian brands from which Moscow is the most contorted now. This is the armed forces. This is the national guard. This is an autocephalous church, ”he wrote on Twitter.

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"The Ukrainian church will not go on this"

It should be noted that the Ecumenical Patriarchate plans to provide the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Tomos - the status of an independent, autocephalous church. However, according to the procedures adopted in Orthodoxy, the church itself should request the autocephalus, which did not happen in Ukraine - the only canonical UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate opposes the actions of Constantinople.

Nevertheless, in Ukraine there are two more unrecognized churches - the UOC-Kyiv Patriarchate, headed by Filaret and the Autocephalous Church, headed by Metropolitan Makarii. On October 11, the Patriarchate of Constantinople removed the anathema (excommunication) from Filaret and Macarius. After that, Filaret announced preparations for a meeting of the council in Ukraine, where, in his opinion, a single Ukrainian Orthodox church would be created.

In addition, Constantinople abolished the provision of 1686, which transferred the Kiev metropolis to the Moscow Patriarchate and “returned” it to its jurisdiction. It was noted that the process of granting autocephaly will continue.

They sharply criticized such a decision in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate.

“The Ukrainian Orthodox Church will definitely not go to such a union. I do not really believe in the technical association of the Kiev Patriarchate with the second non-canonical Ukrainian autocephalous church, headed by Makariy. After all, Makarii categorically opposes Filaret to become the head of the united churches, on which he insists, ”the clerics of the UOC-MP said.

The dispute between Filaret and Makariy really happened a few days later. On October 18, the Metropolitan, in an interview with the ZIK television channel, stated that he was not able to reach agreement with Filaret on key issues - the charter, the name and the future status of the association.

“When we met, the patriarch turned to me that the cathedral should be assembled. I say: "Your Holiness, the cathedral to collect - so there is no charter." And he says: "And I have a charter." “I have one too, but out of two statutes, one charter must be made.” “No,” he says, “my will be tired,” said Macarius.

• Patriarch of the non-canonical UOC Kiev Patriarchate Filaret
• Reuters

"I identified myself with the schismatics"

They criticized Constantinople in the ROC as well. On October 15, the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church decided to break the Eucharistic communion with the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

“The Russian Orthodox Church does not take these decisions, will not follow them. The split remains the split, the split leaders remain the split leaders. And that church, which, having recognized the schismatics, entered into communion with them, thereby excluding itself from the canonical field, ”said Metropolitan Hilarion, who heads the department of external church relations of the Moscow Patriarchate.

And today, October 19, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Kirill, said that by removing the anathema from the excommunicated Filaret and Macarius, the Constantinople Patriarchate itself became divisive.

“The Patriarchate of Constantinople identified itself with the schismatics. Uncanonically, breaking all the rules, he invaded our jurisdiction, forgave the schismatics. So, identifying himself with the schismatics, he himself became a schismatic, ”he said.

Kirill stressed that "the absolute majority of the Orthodox support" the decision of the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church to break up communion with Constantinople.