08.07.2008, [14:19] // UOC-MP //RISU.ORG.UA
Moscow, July 4, Interfax - The Russian Orthodox Church does not question the intention of Patriarch Alexis II of the Moscow Patriarchate to lead the Ukrainian celebrations of the 1020th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus.
The Ukrainian presidential secretariat deputy head Yuriy Bohutsky said at a briefing the day before that Patriarch Alexis had not given a final response whether he would arrive in Kyiv and that the Synod was to decide if Alexis II or "a representative delegation" would come to the Ukrainian capital. Meanwhile, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople has already confirmed his intention to visit Kyiv, according to Bohutsky, on the invitation of Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko and Patriarch Alexis II.
The Moscow Patriarchate "is surprised" with such a statement. "Since February, when Viktor Yushchenko invited Patriarch Alexis II to visit Ukraine and participate in the 1020th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus, the Russian Orthodox primate has confirmed his intention to see the Ukrainian believers," a secretary for inter-Orthodox relations of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, told the Interfax-Religion on Friday.
He reminded that Metropolitan Vladimir of the Kyivan Patriarchate addressed the same request to the patriarch.
Besides, according to Fr. Nikolai, "Alexis II confirmed his intention to visit Kyiv in July (and it was not even questioned by either party) during his conversation with Yuriy Bohutsky as the Patriarch met with him on Yushchenko's personal request."
"The possibility of inviting personally Patriarch of Constantinople to Kyiv was also discussed at the meeting, therefore Bohutsky knows pretty well that the Russian Church primate did not invite Bartholomew I to Kyiv," the interviewee of the agency noted.
He also did not confirm the information Bohutsky voiced earlier that the patriarchs of Alexandria and Jerusalem were to visit Kiev. According to Fr. Nikolai, primates of the Alexandrian and Jerusalem Churches informed that their representatives would come to Kyiv on Alexis II's invitation.
Besides, the Moscow Patriarchate representative is concerned with Bohutsky's statement that Yushchenko intends to initiate discussions on establishing the Ukrainian Local Orthodox Church.
Fr. Nikolai agrees with the Ukrainian state's representative that steps to church unity should keep "within the rules of canonical Orthodoxy." At the same time the priest doubts if it is canonically valid that a secular state "establishes the one Orthodox Church," and in the opinion of Bohutsky, the Orthodox Church believes that the process "should be approved by hierarchs" of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, "the Kyivan Patriarchate" and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church.
"However, in compliance with canonical requirements, it is impossible to compare canonical and recognized as such by the entire Orthodox world the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to non-canonical Ukrainian Autocephalous Church and moreover to "the Kiev Patriarchate," headed by a person alienated from the Orthodox Church," the interviewee of the agency noted.