07/08/2014, by Nina Achmatova
The Assembly of bishops is set to meet on 13 August. Moscow wants to prevent the proclamation of autocephaly and unity with the Orthodox Church of Kyiv. Ukrainian politicians might weigh into the debate. Candidates include Metropolitan of Chernivtsi and Bukovina Onufry, Metropolitan Aleksandr (Drabinko), and Metropolitan Simeon of Vinnitsa.
Moscow (AsiaNews) – After Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kyiv was buried yesterday, the race for his succession at the helm of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate is already underway. According to Russian media, the Moscow patriarchate will do everything to bring Ukraine back “under its control” and avoid the possibility of autocephaly.
Volodymyr, who died on Friday at the age of 78 after a long illness, was buried near the bell tower of the Nativity of the Virgin in the Monastery of the Caves in Kyiv. His health had deteriorated in January during the Maidan (Independence) Square uprising against then President Viktor Yanukovych.
The following month, Onufry, Metropolitan of Chernivtsi and Bukovina, was appointed as Church regent. Rapidly, he had to face the great challenges posed to the Church by the popular protest, which led to a change of power in Ukraine and the subsequent conflict between the army and pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country.
Interfax has reported that the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Church has decided to call an episcopal meeting in Kyiv on 13 August, to begin discussions on the election of a new primate. Similarly, the issue of Volodymyr’s succession has become a major topic of discussion on Ukrainian media. For many, the late religious leader was an advocate of a gradual rapprochement between the Ukrainian Church and the Kyiv Patriarchate. The latter represents Ukraine’s second Orthodox community, but it is not canonically recognised and is considered schismatic.
Experts cited by Russian online newspaper Lenta.ru see Onufry as the leading contender. According to theology expert Dmitry Skvortsov, the locum tenens or regent has a “good reputation.” What is more, he “is a monk, as Volodymyr was, and is not linked to any scandal.” Skvortsov believes however that Onufry is not among the favourite in Kyiv political circles, because he favours unity between the Ukrainian Church and the Moscow Patriarchate.
Metropolitan Aleksandr (Drabinko) is another possibility. He has always been in favour of the union between the two largest Orthodox communities. Finally, Metropolitan Simeon of Vinnitsa and Mogilev-Podolski is another candidate. He is very close to President Petro Poroshenko, faithful, Skovrtsov is quoted as saying on segodnia.ua.
Filaret, the excommunicated patriarch of Kyiv, warned about a possible “war of Churches” between Moscow and Kyiv. “Moscow wants to put its primate” at the helm of the Church, “its protégé, to fulfil its will,” Filaret told Radio Liberty. “Imagine what will happen if this party wins? In terms of undeclared war between Russia and Ukraine, it will serve the interests of the aggressor. Therefore, Ukraine should be concerned to elect a primate to serve the interests of the Ukrainian people, not those of Moscow.”
The Assembly of Bishops is set to open on 13 August. After vetting various candidates for the top office, a second phase will follow with only three names. After the approval by the President of the Holy Synod, the last word is up to the Patriarch of Moscow, Kirill.