Head of OCU congratulates Filaret Denisenko on 30th anniversary of "patriarchate" and calls for humility

The head of the OCU, Epiphany Dumenko, published a congratulatory address to Filaret on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of his «patriarchate.» In a text published on the organization’s website, Dumenko called on Filaret to «humble himself before the will of God» and reminded him of the importance of preserving church unity.

In his address, according to the press service of the OCU, Dumenko recalled the decision of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which seven years ago invalidated the decisions of the Moscow Patriarchate regarding Filaret. The head of the OCU emphasized that it was on this basis that the «unification council» was able to«overcome previous divisions and create a single structure of the Local Church.»

Dumenko also quoted Filaret’s past instructions «about the importance of maintaining the unity of the Church around the Kyivan Throne, which you often told us both from the pulpit and in conversations with the bishops and clergy, about the importance of conciliarity and humility before the will of God and the will of the fullness of the Church.»

«Therefore, we have implemented and will continue to implement these faithful and true instructions of yours, preserving and affirming the unity of the autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the face of both old and new challenges,» the head of the OCU concluded.

As reported earlier, the head of the UOC-KP Filaret Denisenko made public his «spiritual testament.» In the document, timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of his «patriarchal ministry, » he reaffirmed his rejection of the OCU, reiterated his call for the unification of all branches of Ukrainian Orthodoxy to create a church independent of Moscow and Constantinople, and set out his instructions in case of his death.