Met. Anthony: His Beatitude does not fundamentally speaks of politics

Primate of the UOC His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry. Photo: UOC

The Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, each word of whom is under scrutiny of the media, does not speak about politics as a matter of principle. Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich) of Boryspil and Brovary, the UOC Chancellor, said this in an interview with Glavcom.

When asked why the Primate of the UOC is closed to the media, the hierarch emphasized that this is the Beatitude’s position and “he has the right to it”.

“He has his religious experience in interacting with the outside world,” said Metropolitan Anthony. “He is a man of monasticism, but he communicates when necessary. Every day he receives all kinds of visitors regardless of their social status or any other preferences.”

The hierarch emphasized that Metropolitan Onuphry has a very high authority both within the UOC and among the Local Orthodox Churches and "this authority has especially grown over these terrible years for the Church."

At the same time, His Beatitude, according to Bishop Anthony, “amazingly quickly became an icon, an image of the UOC, figuratively speaking.”

“Every word of the Primate is under intense scrutiny of the media. In those conditions when the flock is divided, because people have diametrically opposite views, talking on political topics is unsafe. If we take a look at His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, he does not speak about politics on principle,” said the UOC Chancellor and added, “But you are not right that His Beatitude is closed. Check the Internet on how many views his sermons have got. It seems to me that in general, in the vastness of World Orthodoxy, not a single hierarch has as much feedback on his sermons as His Beatitude does.”

We will remind, earlier the Head of the DECR of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk said that His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry should become the person of the year. 

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