FOR THE RECORD: Statement by Ukrainian Orthodox bishops (10/19/97)

FOR THE RECORD: Statement by Ukrainian Orthodox bishops

Below is a statement issued by the Council of Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A.

Over the past few weeks several press agencies have published information from Moscow Patriarchate sources concerning the late September meeting in Odesa, Ukraine, between His All-Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Patriarch of Moscow, Aleksi II. The ecumenical patriarch was leading an environmental conference abroad a ship that called at various ports on the Black Sea. The patriarchs of Georgia and Moscow both sent last-minute invitations to the ecumenical patriarch to visit churches in these ports, and the ecumenical patriarch, as a courtesy, agreed to accept the invitations, and, according to press reports, at the same time refused to meet with representatives of the other Ukrainian Orthodox jurisdictions in Ukraine. Indeed, representatives of the Kyiv Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Autocephalous jurisdictions were not invited to participate in the visitation to Odesa and were refused admission to the meetings.

In addition, we learned from these reports that the ecumenical patriarch repeated his long-known stance that, according to current ecclesiastical realities, the only recognized Church in Ukraine is that which is part of the Moscow Patriarchate.

The Sobor of Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A., upon hearing of these press reports, contacted the heads of metropolias of the Permanent Conference of Ukrainian Orthodox Bishops Beyond the Borders of Ukraine. Rather than rely upon the media for accurate information, the conference decided to request Archbishop Antony, who, at the invitation of His Holiness, Patriarch Theoctist, was participating in the consecration of a new Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Romania, to travel to Constantinople (Istanbul) to meet with the ecumenical patriarch to determine what actually took place in Odesa. The archbishop was accompanied by the Very Rev. John Nakonachny, member of the consistory and pastor of St. Vladimir Cathedral in Parma, Ohio.

His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew warmly welcomed our delegation at the Phanar on Tuesday, October 7. During their meeting, His All-Holiness provided an exact account of his statement in Odesa, which does not differ from any earlier stance he has taken. The significant portion of his statement is as follows: "From the Mother Church of Constantinople we bless all the Ukrainian people, to which the Mother Church of Constantinople sent the Christian Lights many centuries ago. We sincerely and fervently pray to our Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, to once again bring unity, ecclesiastical unity, to the Orthodox Ukrainian people, always within the framework of the canonical order of our Holy Orthodox Church. We recognize the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Moscow as the canonical jurisdiction here, but we believe that this is not enough; that this does not solve the concrete problem which exists. The wholehearted and fervent prayer of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and of our Modesty personally, is for unity to be restored as soon as possible for the glory of the Lord's name and toward the more effective ministry of Orthodoxy here and more broadly throughout the world."

The patriarch continued: "To all the Ukrainians without exception, we make this appeal at this moment to think about their responsibility to history and to Orthodoxy, and to seek together the means and way of unity. This (unity) will be their greatest strength. This will be the glory of the Lord's name. This will be the greatest joy of the Mother Church of Constantinople, and then everyone together will glorify with one mouth and one heart, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Trinity. One in essence and indivisible. May the glory, honor and worship be unto our Triune God unto the ages."

The Bishops of the Permanent Conference and the Sobor of Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. have stood firm and remain so in their belief that the only proper resolution of current Church division in Ukraine is that of holy Orthodox tradition, which would clearly establish an independent Church in the independent nation of Ukraine. This is the goal of our actions relating to Ukraine. We express our gratitude to the president of Ukraine for his recent statement that supports this stance before the World Forum of Ukrainians. We have not and will not silently accept the continued colonial and non-canonical subjugation of the Church of Ukraine to the Patriarchate of Moscow. Even the Patriarchate of Constantinople, at various times in this century, has declared this subjugation to be non-canonical. For example, in the "1924 Patriarchal Tomos of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople" granting autocephalous status to the Church of Poland, we read the following:

"Having lovingly reviewed this petition (from Poland), and taking into consideration the precepts of the Holy Canons, which establish that the arrangement of ecclesiastical matters must conform to political and civil forms (IV Ecumenical Council, Canon 17, VI Ecumenical Council, Canon 38), as well as the canonical opinion of Photius, to wit: 'It is accepted that the rules which touch upon ecclesiastical matters, and in particular, matters pertaining to parishes, are to conform to political and administrative changes, and on the other hand, bowing to the conditions of canonical duty, which place upon our Holy Ecumenical See the obligation of caring for Orthodox Churches which are found in need; and having investigated a fact which even history does not contest (for it is recorded that the first separation of the Kyivan Metropolia and the Metropoliae of Lithuania and Poland from our see, to which they belonged, and their incorporation into the Holy Church of Moscow, occurred contrary to the prescripts of canonical regulations, and the fact that all which was established in the complete ecclesiastical autonomy of the Kyivan Metropolitan, who bore the title of Exarch of the Ecumenical Throne, was not totally complied with); Our Humility and our Most Holy Metropolitans and beloved brothers and concelebrants in the Holy Spirit, have considered it their obligation to hear the petition with which the Holy Orthodox Church of Poland has turned to us, and to give our blessing and confirm its autocephalous and independent status."

Following our consultations with the Patriarchate of Constantinople, we are still of the firm belief that the most effective way which we as bishops of the Church outside of Ukraine can pursue our goal is through the canonical order of our holy Church. We may be impatient with the pace of progress toward that goal and the methodical and deliberate steps taken in that process, but we also understand that it is only such a necessarily slow process, which will ensure a long and lasting unification of our jurisdictions and which will obtain the recognition of the entire Orthodox world. The eyes of all who see and the ears of all who hear must be opened to the ultimate and inescapable destiny of an Autocophalous Church for Ukraine.

The accomplishment of this goal will not take decades or centuries as it has for other autocephalous Churches, simply because the pace of communication and action in this modern world prohibit such. But, it will take an extended period of time for the jurisdictions and individuals involved in Ukraine to resolve the issues which divide them and come to a willingness to abandon any personal ambitions or desires they may, as individuals, have. In this process we, as hierarchs, clergy and faithful of the Church in the diaspora, must be as patient and helpful as we can.

We stand firmly with our brothers and sisters of Ukraine and confirm our devotion to the Ukrainian nation in her political independence among the nations of the world and to Her ecclesiastical independence amongst the Orthodox Churches of the world. May our Loving Lord be our Strength and the Holy Spirit our Guide in the days and years ahead.

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