Chernigov and Kirovograd, Ukraine, November 13, 2018
Photo: orthodox.com.ua Despite the ongoing persecution and propaganda against the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, its dioceses are remaining faithful to it. A number of dioceses have already openly expressed their support for the Church’s canonical status as a self-governing autonomous body and for their primate His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, and another two have joined them—the Dioceses of Chernigov and Kirovograd.
According to the site of the Chernigov and Novgorod-Siversk Diocese, eight deaneries throughout the diocese have already held meetings, and, “The priests have unanimously testified to their loyalty to the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church and its primate—His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, and have spoken out for the preservation of the existing status of the UOC.”
Photo: orthodox-kr.org.ua And yesterday, a meeting of the deans of the Kirovograd Diocese was held under the chairmanship of His Eminence Metropolitan Ioasaph of Kirovograd and Novomirgorod at which the participants discussed topical diocesan issues, including, most importantly, the ongoing crisis situation in Ukrainian Church life.
In an earlier address to the clergy and laity of the diocese, His Eminence Metropolitan Ioasaph of Kirovograd and Novomirgorod called on them to remain faithful to the canonical Church and its primate Met. Onuphry, and his priests have faithfully responded.
The diocesan site reports: “The deans of the Kirovograd Diocese clearly and firmly outlined their position regarding the transpiring events and again unanimously expressed their support for His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, noting that the current canonical structure of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is optimal and the only authentic structure in today’s conditions.
The hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church took the same stance at their June 25 meeting, where they declared that their “existing canonical status is quite sufficient for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to fruitfully carry out its mission among the people of Ukraine.”
The same support for the canonical Church and Met. Onuphry has also been expressed by the Dioceses of Zhytomyr, Lugansk, Mukachevo, Alexandria, Zaporozhye, Kharkov, Voznesensk, Tulchin, Rivne, Kherson, Kirovograd, Severodonetsk, Odessa, Dnipropetrovsk, Krivoy Rog, Kamenka, Zaporozhye, and Poltava.
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