Filaret: Epiphany is playing into the hands of Moscow
The actions of the head of the schismatic “OCU” Epiphanius, who fell under the Phanar, are beneficial to Moscow.
The head of the schismatic “Kyiv Patriarchate” Filaret stated this during a press conference, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“The fact is that I do not support Moscow, because Moscow wants to own the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, that is, for the Kiev metropolis to be part of the Moscow Patriarchate. And I am fighting for the Ukrainian church to be independent from both Moscow and Constantinople. Therefore, there is no reason to accuse me of supporting Moscow.
The fact that the division of the Kyiv Patriarchate benefits Moscow is true, since if we were united, then, thanks to this unity, bishops and clergy and believers of the Moscow Patriarchate would join us. And due to the fact that the OCU became dependent on the Greeks, the process of joining the Kyiv Patriarchate stopped. And the same Metropolitan Saphrony said: why should we change dependence on Moscow for dependence on the Greeks? - the schismatic argues.
“This means that the reason that he does not join us is not because the patriarch took the side of Moscow, but because the OCU submitted to the Greeks. That's the reason. And in order to to some extent discredit the truth that I defend, they say: Filaret took the side of Moscow. Filaret did not take the side of Moscow, but what Epiphany is doing is beneficial for Moscow,” Filaret said.
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