Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kamensk denied rumors about pressure on the Council in Theophany and confirmed its canonicity

Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kamensk and Tsarichansk, who governs the Kamensk diocese of the UOC, issued a statement in which he refuted allegations of external pressure and illegitimacy of the Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church held on May 27, 2022 in Theophany. According to him, the Council was an important step of the Church on the path of spiritual responsibility, unity and inner freedom, and all of its decisions were adopted by the Council and are fully canonical.

As a ruling bishop and a direct participant in the events, Metropolitan Vladimir felt it his duty to give his sincere testimony in connection with the spread of various opinions regarding the conditions of the Council and its canonicity. He emphasized that «there was no external pressure or interference in the preparation or holding of the Council. All this talk about ‘control of special services’ or ‘influence of the authorities’ is speculation and does not correspond to reality.»

According to the Metropolitan, the initiative to hold the Council came from within the Church — from bishops, priesthood and laity from different dioceses. He personally received numerous appeals from the faithful and clergy of the Kamensk diocese asking for an ecclesiastical response to the challenges faced by the UOC in connection with the full-scale war. These appeals, along with similar ones from other dioceses, became the basis for convening the Council.

The preparation process included the participation of the Kamensk diocese in the election of delegates at diocesan meetings, where anyone who wished could submit a nomination. Representatives of clergy and laity were represented with dignity and were able to express themselves freely during the meetings. «During the work of the Council there was an atmosphere of openness, prayer and mutual respect. Hierarchs, priests, monastics and laity had the opportunity, without any pressure, to take part in the discussions, to propose changes, to express their positions,» Metropolitan Vladimir noted. He also emphasized that His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphrius personally adhered to the principle of non-interference and would not have allowed to convene the Council if there was even a hint of external pressure.

Regarding canonicity, Metropolitan Volodymyr reminded that according to the Statute on the governance of the UOC, the Council has the highest authority in the Church, and its resolutions come into force immediately after adoption. They do not need any approval from other church bodies. Thus, any claims about the «illegitimacy» or «non-canonicity» of the Council’s decisions do not correspond to either facts or Church law.

Earlier Metropolitan of Cherkassy and Kanev Theodosius (Snigiryov) stated that the Council in Theophany in 2022 was held under the pressure of special services. The bishop noted that the hierarchs of the UOC were threatened by people «in shoulder straps» before participating in the council, demanding that they make «necessary decisions».