Metropolitan Feodosiy: Many of the priests who go into schism have never even known God

Metropolitan Feodosiy of Cherkasy and Kanev noted that if some bishops are forced to proclaim «unauthorized» autocephaly, «the people will never accept it.»

«The Church always acts in line with the canons and traditions. And in this matter there is also its own order. If, violating this order, such a decision will be made, and then how will we differ from Filaret Denisenko?» — asks the hierarch.

Metropolitan Feodosiy also said that clergymen who go into schism are divided into several categories.

According to him, the first is those who leave for ideological reasons. It is insignificant. The second are those who leave for material reasons, there are significantly more of them.

«Many of them have never known God and never felt His grace,» the bishop noted and added that a significant part of them are priests who have fallen into mortal sin.