Filaret gives an interview to Russia 24 channel

The head of the UOC KP Filaret Denisenko. Photo: screenshot of the Russia 24 YouTube channel

The head of the UOC KP Filaret Denisenko. Photo: screenshot of Russia 24 YouTube channel.

The head of the UOC KP asserts that Petro Poroshenko and Epiphany Dumenko deceived him, while the OCU is not an autocephalous church.

The head of the UOC KP Filaret Denisenko told the journalists of the Russian channel Russia 24 about why he had signed the Tomos and why the OCU is not an autocephalous church. A video interview with Filaret Denisenko was published on the Russia 24 YouTube channel.

In particular, according to Filaret, the OCU cannot be considered an independent church for several reasons, among which, in the first place, in his opinion, is myrrh production.

To be more specific, the right to make myrrh under the Tomos belongs exclusively to the Patriarch of Constantinople, which, according to Filaret, can lead to certain problems, because "if we are not given myrrh, then we have no right to perform baptisms and consecrate churches".

In addition, he once again stressed that he did not like the name of the newly formed religious structure. According to Filaret Denisenko, it is beneficial for the Patriarchate of Constantinople to call the new “church” just the OCU, not the UOC: “The benefit of such a name is great, because this church (OCU – Ed.) has the right to serve only in the territory of Ukraine, while everything beyond the territory of Ukraine belongs to the Patriarchate of Constantinople.”

The third reason why the OCU cannot be considered an autocephalous church is that problematic issues that arise should be resolved in Constantinople. “What is the autocephalous church about?” asks Filaret and then answers, “It means we do not have the authority of the autocephalous church.”

Also, the head of the UOC KP said that he had signed the Tomos because he was not familiar with its content. According to him, the text of Tomos was approved at the Council of Constantinople Patriarchate.

Asked by the journalist about why the choice of the post of head of the OCU fell on Epiphany, Filaret answered, “They have known me for 50 years, when I still represented the Russian Orthodox Church at the talks in Chambesy. They knew my position and knew my firmness. Therefore, they did not want to deal with me when devising these schemes.”

At the same time, the head of the UOC KP confirmed once again that the agreements between him, Petro Poroshenko and Epiphany Dumenko that he would be actually at the helm, while the primate would represent the OCU among other Orthodox Churches did take palce. According to him, “if conditions were set that I would be eliminated, I would not agree to them.” He claims that the President and Epiphany Dumenko cheated him.

In addition, Filaret Denisenko stressed that “it was important for the President to get the Tomos. What kind of Tomos, what terms, what content – did not matter to him at all." Nevertheless, Filaret Denisenko does not hold any grudge against Poroshenko.

The rector of St. Prince Vladimir Cathedral, “archpriest” Boris Tabachek, also spoke to journalists from Russia 24. According to him, the patriarch’s attitude to the betrayal of his inner circle is philosophical, because there was also one traitor among the apostles, Judas.

In addition, Boris Tabachek asserts that “in life we are accustomed to encountering treachery and must take it as a certain tribute to life in this society”.

Earlier the UOJ wrote that according to Filaret Denisenko, the Tomos had done more harm than good.

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