Second Lvov monastery reportedly joins schismatics under new regulations aimed at attracting canonical structures

Kiev, March 24, 2022

Photo: wenews.ge Photo: wenews.ge     

Another monastery of the western Ukrainian Lvov Diocese of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church has reportedly joined the schismatic “Orthodox Church of Ukraine.”

Holy Resurrection-New Athos Monastery was received into the schismatic Lvov Diocese earlier this week, and now it’s reported that St. Onuphry Monastery in the village of Mezhigirya has also made the move.

Zaxid.net reports that the monastery was received into the OCU with stavropegial status, directly under “Metropolitan” Epiphany Dumenko, yesterday. The outlet published the relevant decree from the OCU primate.

However, at least for the time being, the monastery is still listed on the site of the canonical Lvov Diocese, whereas Holy Resurrection-New Athos Monastery has been removed.

The canonical diocese itself has already made serious decisions in response to the fratricidal war. On February 25, His Eminence Metropolitan Philaret of Lvov blessed for His Holiness Patriarch Kirill not to be commemorated at the Divine services, and he has condemned the war several times, calling it “satanic madness.” The clergy of the Lvov Diocese are also calling for the autocephaly of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Photo: Facebook Photo: Facebook     

Reception into the OCU as a stavropegial, rather than diocesan monastery follows the resolution of the OCU Synod of Bishops on Monday, March 21, aimed at attracting canonical dioceses, monasteries, and churches into the schismatic organization during this tense time of war.

The OCU Synod states characteristically:

Due to the war that Russia has waged against Ukraine, more and more clergy and faithful under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine (UOC-MP) understand the real state of affairs, realize their true canonical and civic duty and begin to look for ways to distance themselves from the Russian Orthodox Church, which through its leaders actually supported the aggression and is one of its inspirers.

Thus, the OCU calls on all members of the canonical Church “to follow the Tomos on the autocephaly of the OCU and enter into canonical unity with the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.”

According to the resolution, clergy, monasteries, and parishes “that for some reason can’t be part of the local diocese of the OCU” can be temporarily received directly under the omophorion of Epiphany Dumenko, as St. Onuphry Monastery reportedly was, with the aim of later being integrated into the relevant diocesan structure.

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3/24/2022

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Comments
Rdr Daniel3/25/2022 9:23 pm
May the Lord have mercy on them and bring them to repentance. As bad as things are for people in Ukriane right now, joining oneself in spirit to unordianed schismatics is more harmful than anything the Russians can do to the body.
Dionysius Redington3/25/2022 6:36 am
No, they're schismatic now. They should have stayed under Philaret of Lvov, whose stance becomes less tenable if his supporters all run off to live with wolves. --Dionysius Redington
Nicholas3/24/2022 11:23 pm
Schism is defined by the lack of communion and the refusal of clergy of lower seniority to commemorate their first among their hierarchs. When a priest does not communicate or commemorate the first among the archbishops in his local Church, his Metropolitan; When a metropolitan does not communicate and commemorate the first among his metropolitans, who could be the Patriarch of his local Church; When a patriarch does not communicate with and commemorate his own peers, the Patriarchs, then he is in schism. Commemoration and communion determines if a local Church is schismatic. We can exhaust pages and find compelling arguments on both sides about the origins of this newly established Autocephalous Church and we will find both historical and canonical reasons to either defend it or condemn it. In the end, it would be to no avail because this spiritual problem can only be solved with spiritual justice, which are the Lord's statutes based on condescension, philanthropy and ECONOMY. IF there is resistance towards this objective, one has to examine the deeper spiritual reason as to why one would insist that two churches which hold the exact same faith in the Church with respect to the Holy Ecumenical Councils, that is, the same Christology, and the same theology, the same manifestation of hierarchy, should never reconcile.
Alex3/24/2022 10:28 pm
Panayotis, the “schismatic” structure is known as the OCU (Orthodox Church of Ukraine), as opposed to the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the saintly Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev.
Troy3/24/2022 9:27 pm
Editors: The Orthodox Church of Ukraine is not schismatic since it is in communion with other local Orthodox Churches. If you disagree with autocephaly, that’s one thing, but to call them "schismatic" is dishonest. Are Constantinople, Alexandria, Nicosia, and Athens "schismatic" now too? Are the other Orthodox Churches "schismatic" for remaining in communion with them?
Theodoros3/24/2022 7:56 pm
The OCU remains schismatic. Of the Greek Churches that recognized consider the facts. Patriarch Bartholomew wants complete and total power. The Tomos of 1686 and patriarch Bartholomews own previous Stance on the Ukrainian schismatics discredits the Phanar. The Churches of Greece and Cyprus are divided on the matter. Considering the opposition in Greece toward recognizing the schismatics and the open interference of American officials this recognition is also discredited. In Cyprus the Archbishop alone made the decision to recognize the OCU without consulting the members of his synod. So much for the decision of Cyprus to recognize the schismatics. Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria once supported the canonical Church of Ukraine. He reversed his position without an explanation and began bullying native African priests. Whatever happens in Ukraine autocephaly will only come if the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church wants it. The OCU remains illegitimate.
Panayotis3/24/2022 6:13 pm
“The term “schismatic” is relative since several local churches have recognized the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.” - Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol
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