Russian Orthodox Church has conciliatory stance on Ukraine – Legoyda

OCP June 2, 2014 11:09 pm 3

St. Petersburg, June 2, Interfax – The Russian Orthodox Church has a conciliatory stance regarding Ukraine, Moscow Patriarchate Information Department head Vladimir Legoyda said.

“The Russian Orthodox Church has taken a ministerial stance, which is above the political stance. This stance is conciliatory. Patriarch [Kirill of Moscow and All Russia] has emphasized repeatedly that no other stance can exist,” Legoyda told reporters in St. Petersburg on Friday following a Russian Orthodox Church Synod meeting.

“Russia and Ukraine do not have conflict matter. We have nothing what would cause real resistance. It is very important that everyone realizes this,” Legoyda said.

When asked how real holding a Synod meeting in Kiev in the short term is, Legoyda failed to respond. “We will live and see,” he said.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate has become the only religious organization in Ukraine, which did not join any conflict party, Legoyda said.

“Among the religious organizations of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Church of the Moscow Patriarchate is virtually the only religious organization, which managed to avoid the temptation of politicizing its stance, which is not associated with any conflict party,” he said.

Following the presidential elections in Ukraine Patriarch Kirill addressed Petr Poroshenko and outlined the necessity to resolve the situation peacefully and to stop military actions, Legoyda said.

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