proza.ru
The scientific base of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) autocephaly provided by the Patriarchate of Constantinople is depressingly weak, according to the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). The Orthodox Encyclopedia Church-Scientific Center (CSC) stated this, RIA Novosti reports. Russian experts began to publish their comments on the Constantinople studies of the Ukrainian problem. The first remarks refer to the report of Bishop Christupolsky Macarius, a cleric of the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church of the Constantinople Patriarchate.
Constantinople based on historical data from this document deciding to interfere in the church affairs of Ukraine.
This research shows a fragile foundation of Constantinople international church policy, the Central Scientific Center notes. It called Bishop Macarius' report a "propaganda document".
The comments of the Central Scientific Center refute his arguments about the history of the Russian Church starting from the 11th century with the help of true historical facts.
Experts of the Orthodox Encyclopedia say that the politicized approach of the text is especially noticeable in the assessments of the last century events in Russian history. It is enough to compare the two phrases in the report. According to it, the Bolsheviks allegedly "occupied Ukraine" meanwhile the fascists just "entered" it in 1941.
The experts also disproved the statement that Metropolitan Philaret was not allowed to see the patriarch before the elections allegedly because of “Ukrainian origin”. It sounds absurd for the reason that Filaret participated in the elections but could not win them. In addition, two of the three candidates were ethnic Ukrainians.
Bishop Macarius also mentions figures according to which almost 44 percent of Ukrainians identify themselves as followers of the so-called Kyiv Patriarchate and only 18 percent - as parishioners of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. "Anyone who is really interested in the church situation in Ukraine realizes how irrelevant these figures are", the Central Scientific Center claims.
Russkiy Mir
