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23.04.2007, [19:40] // UOC-KP // risu.org.ua

Kyiv – In a decree of 19 April 2007, the Hierarchal Sobor [Assembly] of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate (UOC-KP), among others things, condemns the “re-baptism” of UOC-KP faithful who go over to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP).

Having listened to the speech of Patriarch Filaret (Denysenko), head of the UOC-KP, about the modern state of Ukrainian Orthodoxy and possible ways to overcome the existing church schism, the sobor of the UOC-KP adopted a number of decrees and confirmed its readiness for direct dialogue with the UOC-MP and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church regarding the creation of a single national Orthodox church in Ukraine. Also, the document approved by the sobor analyzes the urgency and importance of the sobor’s Historical-Canonical Declaration “Kyivan Patriarchate: The National Ukrainian Orthodox Church,” which the UOC-KP ratified and is planning to spread among the Orthodox faithful of Ukraine and have translated into the Russian language.

The text of the sobor’s decree has this to say about “re-baptism”:

“The Hierarchal Sobor of the UOC-KP has resolved…: to attract the special attention of the hierarchs of the UOC-MP to the categorical inadmissibility of the church’s [UOC-MP] practice of so-called ‘re-baptism’ of those who were baptized in the UOC-KP, and also the ‘repetition’ in the UOC-MP of other sacraments and sacred acts (ordinations, weddings, funerals, and so on), since this is banned by holy scripture, the Symbol of Faith [Nicene Creed], and the dogmas and canons of the Orthodox church; to request that the UOC-MP officially end such practice; to warn that every bishop and priest who carries out such an uncanonical practice of ‘repeating’ sacraments and sacred acts performed by the Kyivan Patriarchate commits a sin, as well as laypeople who allow such ‘repeated sacraments.’”

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