His Beatitude explains the gap between canonical and non-canonical churches

The Primate of the UOC, Metropolitan Onuphry, gave an interview to Inter TV channel. Photo: YouTube screenshot.

The Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, in an exclusive interview with Inter TV channel, told how the canonical Church differs from non-canonical organizations.

According to him, "the word ‘canonical’ comes from the word ‘canon’. Thus, the canonical Church is a group of believers living by the canons of the Church.”

His Beatitude recalled that “each state has its own Constitution and all citizens of the state must live according to the Constitution. If a person observes it, then everything is good with him, but if he violates the Constitution, then he can be fined or imprisoned.”

Metropolitan Onuphry stressed that “the Church also has its own Constitution – canons. And if we live by canons, then we are the canonical Church. But if a person violates canons, he will be neither fined nor jailed, because these are not the methods of the Church, but the Church will break off prayer and eucharistic communion with such a person. In other words, it cuts such a person off.”

The Primate of the UOC advised those interested in this matter to study the set of rules and canons of the Church. At the same time, he stressed that although "the canons were written by people, it was done by the influence of the Holy Spirit." Therefore, His Beatitude said, “the one who embraces these spiritual canons is filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and the one who violates them is deprived of this grace”.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that the Primate of the UOC, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, declared that politicians and people should return to the choice of Prince Vladimir.

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