MP-UOC Officials doubtful of creation of unified Ukrainian schismatic body

Moscow, June 22, 2015

Representatives of the so-called Kievan Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church announced in June their intentions to hold a council of unification on September 14. However, Anisimov responded that the necessary legal hurdles would never be overcome, noting that to introduce changes into the documents of each body would require “local councils,” rather than a joint council. “It is ridiculous from the legal point of view … to do a thousand things no one will ever do,” he stated.

The Synod of the UOC-KP expressed its gratitude to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew who blessed two of his bishops to be in attendance as observers, which the schismatic bodies take as evidence of Constantinople’s support for their cause.

Conversely, Anisimov expressed surprise and concern over the apparent provocation on the part of Constantinople.

"Is it possible to imagine that two of our bishops would arrive in Constantinople to meet with local schismatics, and would try to set up a local Church there, though the Local Church has existed there for ages?" he wondered.

The synod of the UOC-KP proposed to the synod of the UAOC to cease consecration of new bishops in the time leading up to the council, and to cease receiving bishops from other jurisdictions, although they are still willing to receive bishops who schism from the Moscow Patriarchate Church.

Anisimov also took note of the interesting timing for the creation of a new nationalist, “Russophobe” group - "when people are exhausted by continuous bloodshed."