Ukrainian parliament discusses special status for part of church that breaks ties with Moscow
Ukrainian parliament discusses special status for part of church that breaks ties with Moscow (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
There is discussion on the political sidelines about the possibility of granting some kind of special status to a part of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) that decides to break ties with Moscow. But this idea is unrealistic.
The term “temporary Tomos” has been used on the political sidelines, although it is not correct.
The bottom line is that part of the UOC, which, in principle, does not mind actually breaking all church-canonical ties with the ROC, would like to get some kind of official place in the Orthodox world, and not remain in the gray zone. After all, for many representatives of the UOC, joining the OCU (Orthodox Church of Ukraine- ed.) is absolutely unacceptable for a number of reasons, including personal ones. And this place could be formalized in the form of the “temporary Tomos”. To be more precise, the Ecumenical Patriarchate could create its own exarchate in Ukraine, which would include the part of the UOC that can break with the ROC but does not want to join the OCU.
However, this initiative is unrealistic for several reasons. Ukraine has already received the Tomos, and it is impossible to create another church jurisdiction on its territory. Also, in church circles, this initiative is considered to be the manipulation of individual hierarchies. Moreover, changes in church on such a scale take a very long time.
“They will be ready to come up with anything to avoid severing ties with Moscow. We have seen this many times before. The worst thing that can happen for Onufriy (the head of the UOC - ed.) is if Kirill defrocks him,” says a source in the OCU.
A number of sources in political and church circles described the approximate balance of power in the UOC as follows: 15% pro-Russian, 15% pro-Ukrainian, 70% “swamp”.
Bill to ban Moscow church
In January 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine registered in the Verkhovna Rada a draft law No. 8371, which bans operating for religious organizations, the governing center of which is located outside Ukraine, in a state that carries out armed aggression against Ukraine.
This draft law has already been approved in the first reading. But on July 23, the Verkhovna Rada failed to pass the bill. At first, MPs blocked the rostrum, and then the Rada announced a break in meetings until August 21.
According to a KIIS poll, 78% of Ukrainians believe that the state should intervene in the activities of the UOC (MP) to some extent. 54% of them believe that this church needs to be completely banned in Ukraine.
