The schismatic Epiphanius explained why it would be impossible not to celebrate Easter with the Russians
The Istanbul Patriarchate and all local Orthodox Churches celebrate Easter and all related holidays according to a single calendar. So no matter how indignant the Ukrainian Russophobes are, it will not be possible to cancel the celebration of the main holiday of the Orthodox together with the Russian Orthodox Church.
The deputy head of the schismatic OCU’s department for external relations, Evstratiy Zorya, announced this on his Facebook page, commenting on the desire of a significant part of his structure’s supporters “not to celebrate Easter with Moscow.”
“For the information of all who are suddenly attacked by the desire not to celebrate Easter with Moscow: the Ecumenical Patriarchate and ALL Local Orthodox Churches celebrate Easter and all the holidays associated with it (Palm Sunday, Ascension, Trinity) - according to a single calendar. The Ukrainian Church will not break the Easter calendar tradition that unites the Orthodox world,” Zorya wrote.
He added that if “it will be easier for the concerned to perceive it this way, then it is not we who are celebrating with Moscow, but it with us.”
The high-ranking schismatic noted that he understands that modern Banderaites “are disgusted by everything Moscow, but he advises not to lose common sense, and before taking initiatives, to ask how everything really is.”
“An apt thought from the comments: in order not to celebrate with Moscow, you should stop going to holidays in the MP parish, donate to the needs of the MP, politically support supporters of the MP... And another sensible remark from the comments: “not celebrating” with someone is also a sign of addiction. Let it be through denial. We shouldn’t worry at all about what, when and how they celebrate in Muscovy,” added Evstratiy Zorya.
Let us add that the very posing of such a question about the celebration of Easter by supporters of schismatic structures speaks of their elementary illiteracy in matters of faith, to which they consider themselves, and that politics is more important for them than faith, and the very choice of the supported church structure is determined by purely opportunistic, political and nationalistic factors.
Let us note that the Ukrainian authorities are now putting pressure on the top of the canonical UOC so that it breaks ties with the Russian Orthodox Church and refuses to commemorate Moscow Patriarch Kirill in its services. Local authorities in western Ukraine, one after another, are adopting identical appeals to the Verkhovna Rada demanding a ban on the canonical Church in the country.
Orthodox blogger Alexander Voznesensky believes that the ultimate goal of the current anti-church campaign is a new union—the unification of all Ukrainian church structures into one and the receipt of a new tomos from Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.
The schismatic Epiphanius explained why it will be impossible not to celebrate Easter with the Russians.