"Yasenets Syndrome": Will the OCU ex-cleric's demarche be a "precursor" to a systemic crisis in the structure

Ex-cleric of the OCU Yaroslav Yasenets published a multi-part biopic in which he described the reasons for his withdrawal from the structure of this religious organization. It should be noted that Yasenets was not a pioneer in this case, as a year ago Archpriest Andrei Shimanovich, who joined the UOC-KP in 2017, did the same thing.

It is worth noting that Yasenets and Shymanovych have very similar claims against the OCU. Dumenko’s low spiritual and organizational level, aggressive behavior towards the UOC, serving the political interests (often anti-Christian) of the Ukrainian government, unhealthy ecumenism, personnel crisis, and much more, which, according to our data, are discussed by many in the OCU, but not everyone is ready to speak out publicly. All of this is superimposed on the difficult atmosphere of relations between ordinary figures and key functionaries of the OCU, which has long been based on a division into higher and lower grades.

Of course, I want to believe that for Yaroslav Yasenets himself, the current circumstances will be an impetus for him to one day reach the truth and finally find the life-giving source to which his immortal soul now longs to get. Based on what he told us about himself, it would not hurt him to get into some monastery of the UOC far from civilization, where, under the guidance of a competent confessor, he could tune the strings of his striving soul into a harmonious tune. However, judging by the fact that he is planning to gain a foothold in the UOC-KP, this is still a long way off.

Nevertheless, the very fact that a zealous follower of the OCU’s ideas suddenly turned against the spirit that prevails within the organization already speaks volumes. What happened to Yasenets in the patristic literature has many names and, at the same time, one explanation — the Lord decided to knock on his heart. The revelation of Yasenets is nothing more than an awakening that occurred as a result of the activity of Divine grace in his direction. His main task in this case is to understand and accept that what is happening to him now is right.

In turn, the claims that Yasenets made against the OCU are nothing more than a «discovery» to which he came with his mind through his heart. What does this «discovery» of Yasenets say? What many have been saying for a very long time — there is no grace of the Holy Spirit in the OCU. After all, how does Divine grace work at least in relation to the clergy of the Church? It heals the weak, and makes up for what they lack. Isn’t it clear that Dumenko’s inability to connect two sentences without a piece of paper during a sermon, the absence of monasticism, and the fact that his ministers are spiritually uninformed and illiterate are a clear sign that God’s grace is not working in this case?

Another proof of this thesis is the potential of those UOC clergymen who have moved or are planning to move to the OCU. Most of them take this step because of their viciousness, not because of «love for the Motherland» and other pseudo-patriotic impulses. They move to the OCU because they cannot stand the grace in the UOC. They cannot withstand the level required of priests in those churches where grace is present. It is much easier for them to be where they are not condemned for bigamy, drunkenness, lies, thievery and other passions that they suffer from but do not want to correct.

The main question is whether the Yasenets precedent will become a systemic one for the OCU It seems to us that such a situation will sooner or later happen to those from the OCU who have a conscience. The Church teacher Tertullian wrote that the soul is a Christian by nature. That is, a soul in which the voice of conscience works will not be able to stay in the conditions described by Yasenets for too long. Sooner or later, many in the OCU will begin to «break through» and there will be more and more voices in favor of the truth. Let’s call this phenomenon the «Yasenets Syndrome» and pray that the Lord will send wisdom and Christian sensibility that will lead these people to the knowledge of the Truth, which is guarded only by the true Church of Christ on earth.