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05.03.2007, [13:28] // Orthodox // RISU.org.ua

Kyiv – The Hierarchal Sobor [Assembly] of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC) has called Patriarch Filaret (Denysenko), head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate (UOC-KP), to resign. The sobor released an address to bishops, clergy, and faithful of the UOC-KP on 2 March 2007.

In the address, the sobor accuses Patriarch Filaret of “desecrating the idea of the autocephaly of the Ukrainian church.” The UAOC bishops call the patriarch “the symbol of schism” and call him “to voluntarily leave the position of the head of the UOC-KP and, by doing so, to expedite unification processes in Ukrainian Orthodoxy and the recognition of the autocephaly of the Ukrainian church by the world’s national Orthodox churches.”

According to the hierarchs of the UAOC, the canonical sanctions against Patriarch Filaret have been recognized by all national Orthodox churches and the UAOC cannot ignore the position of world Orthodoxy. That is why a decision has been made to avoid eucharistic and prayerful communion with Patriarch Filaret.

Source and previous related RISU news: press service of the UAOC

http://www.risu.org.ua/eng/news/article;14523
http://www.risu.org.ua/eng/news/article;14513