Met Varsonofy recalls what Shostatsky spoke about UOC in 2014

Metropolitan Varsonofy (Stoliar) of Vinnytsa and Bar. Photo: spzh.news

Metropolitan Varsonofy (Stoliar) of Vinnytsa and Bar commented on the recent statements of the former Metropolitan of the UOC Simeon Shostatsky regarding the independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

So, in an interview with the “RISU” website on January 16, 2021, the “hierarch” of the OCU, in particular, questioned the autonomy of the UOC, which, in his words, “really has certain powers and a certain independence” but decisions for it are not made in Kyiv.

In this regard, Metropolitan Varsonofy recalled another interview that the "hierarch" of the OCU gave several years earlier, while still being the head of the Vinnytsia Eparchy of the UOC. Then, in July 2014, Shostatsky assured that "the Russian authorities, possibly, have influence over the eparchies of the Moscow Patriarchate located on the territory of Russia, but have no influence on the UOC."

“I read the latest material on the “RISU” website and did not understand when ex-Metropolitan Simeon is telling the truth? In 2014, in an interview posted on the website of the eparchy or in the latest one for the “RISU” site,” wrote Metropolitan Varsonofy of Vinnytsia and Bar on his Facebook page.

As reported, the "hierarch" of the OCU Simeon said how in 2018 His Beatitude Onuphry could become the "Patriarch of all Orthodox Ukrainians".

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