Bukovina, Ukraine, February 28, 2019
Photo: news.church.ua
Two Romanian-speaking parishes of the Chernivtsi-Bukovina Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church have voted to remain loyal to the canonical Church and its primate His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, who is a native son of Chernivtsi and headed the diocese before being elevated to the primacy.
The parish communities of the Church of St. Paraskeva in the village of Bancheni and of the Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos in the village of Bairaki expressed their loyalty and support on Sunday, February 24, reports the site of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
It is reported that the parish communities, headed by their rectors Archpriest Paul Dumitriu and Archpriest Konstantine Apakitsa, continue to carry out their activities in accordance with the canons and statutes of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
These witness of these Romanian-language parishes is especially important given that the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church drew particular attention to the more than 100 such parishes that exist in Ukraine during its recent session. For a concrete decision to be made regarding the possibility of recognizing the so-called “Orthodox Church of Ukraine,” created by the Patriarchate of Constantinople, priority will be given to the consideration of these Romanian parishes at a future Synod session. It is necessary to consult with these parishes, the bishops stated, as they are concerned about preserving their ethnic and linguistic identity.
Thus, the Synod writes that it is necessary to obtain written guarantees from the Church and secular authorities that the Romanians’ ethnicity and language will be respected and that they will have the opportunity to organize into a Romanian vicariate and to cultivate their spiritual connection with the Romanian Patriarchate.
Follow us on Facebook!
