Metropolitan Anthony: Attacks on the episcopate are attacks on apostolic succession

The head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich), commented on the attacks on the episcopate and believers of the UOC. The bishop drew attention to the fact that a significant amount of criticism directed at the higher clergy often comes not from outside, but from within the Church, but those who do so do not pursue any good goals, except for the desire to destabilize the situation in the UOC itself. The Metropolitan’s reflections are published on the website “Orthodox Life.”

«Attacks on the Church are expressed not only in the form of open external aggression. Attacks on the internal church structure are no less dangerous. One type of such aggression is attacks on the episcopate. Usually, they are presented as criticism, but if you look more closely, it is not difficult to see that all “criticism” is based on rejection of the very institution of the episcopate. The Renovationists acted in exactly the same way in their time. In fact, unchanging hostility toward the higher clergy, presented under the guise of “democratization” of the Church, is one of the striking features of the Renovationists. The goal of this process is clear; it can be summed up in the well-known biblical phrase: “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.” Attacks on the episcopate are nothing more than attacks on the apostolic succession contained in the episcopal ministry. Without bishops, there can be no ordination of priests, and even the right to celebrate the Liturgy is delegated to priests by the bishop,» — the bishop noted.

Metropolitan Anthony noted that not only bishops but also lay members of the Church are subject to criticism. The hierarch believes that those who are engaged in this matter are motivated by political expediency, and they themselves resemble “renovationists.”

«However, today not only the episcopate is under attack, but also the church people. Some critics of the Church speak with undisguised contempt about ordinary believers, especially when these people selflessly defend their shrines. Apparently, critics think that only they – the “educated and progressive” – know best how to organize the Church. And if the people do not accept their opinion, then the people themselves are ignorant and uneducated. Unfortunately, history teaches us nothing, and today, as a hundred years ago, church revolutionaries are blinded by pride and vanity. It would be good if all these “progressive enlighteners” were motivated by genuine concern for the Church and people, a desire to save as many people as possible. But no: if you read their arguments carefully, there is nothing of Christ in them, only earthly ideology and political expediency,» — he added.

Earlier, we reported that the public organization “Sofia Brotherhood,” which consists of individual clergymen of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and representatives of the OCU, published a statement criticizing the administrator of the UOC, Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich). The reason for the criticism was the recent statements of the hierarch regarding organizations and individuals who, according to the bishop, are engaged in “appeasing” the OCU. The “Sophia Brotherhood” took Metropolitan Anthony’s statements personally, accusing the bishop of “pro-Moscow orientation” and “bringing the UOC to a critical state.”