Filaret: I'm against the expansion of Uniates throughout Ukraine

Святослав Шевчук и Филарет Денисенко. Фото: glavcom.ua

“The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is attempting to spread its influence throughout Ukraine, where the Orthodox Church has traditionally dominated. I am against the increase of believers of the UGCC at the expense of the Orthodox,” the head of the UOC-KP said in an interview with the “Political News of Ukraine”.

Denisenko believes that the actions of the Greek Catholics are similar to dragging the Orthodox into Catholicism, and this prevents inter-faith peace and harmony.

“I am against aggression regarding the Orthodox. Let's live in peace and harmony. Do not drag the Orthodox into Catholicism. Then everything will be fraternal between us,” said the “patriarch”.

Filaret recalled the situation with the UGCC’s attempt to serve at the Sophia of Kyiv for the Annunciation in 2019 and saw in it the desire of the Uniates to declare their equal status with the Orthodox in Ukraine.

“Why did Sviatoslav Shevchuk want to serve at St. Sophia’s Cathedral for the Annunciation? Filaret asked the journalist a question. “Because he wanted to show equality. That they are as influential as the Orthodox. But this is not so. Greek Catholics are 7 percent, and the Orthodox – more than 60. Besides, St. Sophia’s Cathedral was built by the Orthodox Prince Yaroslav the Wise. He was not a Greek Catholic. He was Orthodox. Why then do you want to serve in the cathedral which was built by the Orthodox prince and has always been the cathedral of the Orthodox Church? Therefore, I am against such things because this violates our fraternal relations."

Filaret also expressed regret that Epiphany did not share his position to the Uniates: “But Metropolitan Epiphany is indifferent to this. He does not care who will serve there. He is not interested in the truth.”

As reported by the UOJ, the head of the OCU Epiphany Dumenko stated that the key to the unification of the OCU and the UGCC lies in Rome and Constantinople.

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