Religious Examination Of Statute Of Ukrainian Orthodox Church Of Moscow Patriarchate Shows Existence Of Connection With Russian Orthodox Church - State Ethnopolitics Service

A religious examination of the statute of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate; UOC MP) showed the existence of a church-canonical connection with the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). This is stated in the message of the State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"The expert group reached the following general conclusions: the adoption of the new version of the Statute on the management of the UOC (from May 27, 2022) and the Resolution of the Council of the UOC did not lead to the rupture of the ecclesiastical-canonical connection of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with the Russian Orthodox Church. The status of the UOC as a structural unit of the ROC, which enjoys certain rights of independence, but does not form an autocephalous Church, remains unchanged. The UOC relative to the Russian Orthodox Church has an ecclesiastical-canonical connection of the part with the whole," the message reads.

The State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience notes that the relations of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with the Russian Orthodox Church are not the relations of one independent (autocephalous) church with another independent autocephalous church.

"The Ukrainian Orthodox Church also does not have the status of an autonomous Church, which would be recognized by other churches, and therefore, from the point of view of ecclesiology and canon law, it is a structural unit of the Russian Orthodox Church, which has separate rights of independent formation without its own canonical subjectivity," the examination determined.

According to the conclusions, the current activity or inaction of the highest bodies of church authority and management of the UOC shows that the UOC continues to be subordinate to the Russian Orthodox Church.

The members of the Expert Group did not find any documents or actions that would indicate the transformation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church into a religious organization independent of the Russian Orthodox Church.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, by decree No. 820 of December 1, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy implemented the decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) to ban religious organizations affiliated with centers of influence in Russia from operating in Ukraine.

In particular, the Cabinet of Ministers has been instructed to submit a bill to the Verkhovna Rada for consideration within a two-month period on making it impossible for religious organizations affiliated with centers of influence in Russia to operate in Ukraine.

The State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience has been instructed to ensure, within a two-month period, a theological examination of the Statute on the Administration of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church for the existence of a church-canonical connection with the Moscow Patriarchate, and if necessary, to take measures provided for by law.

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