The Charter of the UOC Does Not Contain Any Provisions that Could Even Hint at the Connection with Moscow: Head of the Legal Department

Information and Education Department of UOC – OCP News Service – 31/12/2022

Kyiv – Ukraine: Head of the Legal Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Archpriest Oleksandr Bachov underlined during the press conference on 29 December 2022 in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra that ‘any provisions that at least somehow hinted at or indicated the connection with Moscow were excluded’ from the Charter on the Administration of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church adopted at the Council of 27 May 2022. The Information and Education Department of the UOC informs about it.

Thus, as a result of the work of the Council, additions and amendments to the Charter on the Administration of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church indicating not only the administrative independence, which had existed before as well according to the Letter Missive (Tomos) of Patriarch Alexius of Moscow and All Rus’ of 27 October 1990, but also the complete canonical independence of the UOC and its dissociation from the Moscow Patriarchate, were made.

All provisions regarding the connection of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with the Russian Orthodox Church have been excluded from the Charter.

In particular, that concerns the provision in which it was stated that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was a self-governing part of the ROC. Regulations of Councils of the ROC are not a ground for the activity of the Council of Bishops of the UOC anymore.

The Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine has ceased his membership in the Holy Synod of the ROC.

The Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church shall be elected by bishops of the UOC for life without further blessing by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus.

The name of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ is not commemorated in all churches and monasteries of the UOC during divine services.

Apart from that, it has been specified in the Charter that the leading centre of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is located in the city of Kyiv.

The issue of renewing chrism-preparation in the city of Kyiv and opening Ukrainian Orthodox parishes abroad in direct subordination to the UOC for citizens of Ukraine, which are characteristics of an independent Church (on the 23th of November, the Holy Synod took the decision to renew chrism-preparation in the UOC), was considered at the Council as well.

‘After the amendments to the Charter were adopted, they were sent to the President of Ukraine, to the Cabinet of Ministers, to the Verkhovna Rada, as well as to the State Service for Ethnical Policy and Freedom of Conscience, with the request to notify the appropriate state bodies, regional administrations of the new status of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church’, pointed out the Head of the Legal Department.

Source:
OCP News Service