A Bukovinian religious scholar criticized the Romanian Orthodox Church for its unwillingness to recognize the OCU

Religious scholar and OCU lobbyist Oleksandr Brodetsky criticized the Romanian Orthodox Church for its unwillingness to recognize the Ukrainian schism. Brodecki accused the Romanian Patriarchate of imperialism and of siding with the priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the Ukrainian church crisis. He wrote about this on his Facebook account.

“The Romanian Orthodox Church clearly adheres to its interests and once again makes it clear to Ukraine: it is in close communication with ethnic Romanian priests in the Chernivtsi region of Ukraine, monitors their moods, and will only have a negative attitude toward the possibility of recognizing the Orthodox Church of Ukraine unless the Ukrainian state makes a positive decision to register in Ukraine a religious association (“administration”) of the Romanian Church, which will gradually include all parishes where the majority of believers are ethnic Romanians,” – the religious scholar noted.

Brodetsky added that the Romanian Patriarchate is nostalgic for its imperial past, which is why it thinks the same way as the Russian Orthodox Church. He accused the Romanian Church of being more sympathetic to the Russian Orthodox Church than to the OCU.

“It is no coincidence that the statement of the Romanian Orthodox Church, published on June 30, 2025, by the resource “Stiri pe surse”, emphasizes the Romanian inscription on the facade of the central cathedral in Chernivtsi – Descent of the Holy Spirit. Regarding the so-called “Ukrainian” Orthodox Church, the Romanian Church is well aware and states directly that it is part of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Russian Orthodox Church, and that no “theophany” has changed anything significantly in its eyes. And this is true: nothing has changed. But, unfortunately, the Romanian Orthodox Church is more satisfied with the fact that, in the event of non-registration of its diocese on the territory of Ukraine by the Ukrainian state, ethnic Romanian parishes will continue to remain under the jurisdiction of the Church of the Moscow Patriarchate rather than the autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine…,” – the scientist concluded.

Earlier, we reported that the Patriarchate of the Romanian Orthodox Church (ROC) issued a statement expressing concern about the actions of the Ukrainian authorities in the context of the church situation and the position of the Romanian Orthodox minority in Ukraine. The reason for the statement was the appeal of the Ukrainian ambassador to recognize the OCU.