Phanar: UOC-KP communities in Australia are uncanonical and should join us

Hierarchs of Phanar in Australia. Photo: romfea.gr

The Eleventh Assembly (Synaxis) of the Bishops of the Phanar Archdiocese in Australia has decided to consider the issue of Ukrainian parishes belonging to the UOC-KP, Romfea reports.

The assembly's press release states that there are Ukrainian communities within the canonical borders of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, which until recently belonged to the so-called "Kyiv Patriarchate." However, after the abolition of the "Kyiv Patriarchate" and the granting of autocephaly by the Mother Church of Constantinople in Ukraine, the Holy Archbishopric of Australia is studying the current situation and conditions for the integration of these communities into the canonical order."

According to the statement, the efforts in this direction by Archbishop Macarius (head of the Australian Archdiocese of Phanar) and "local God-loving archbishop's vicars" have not yet been successful.

It is also reported that a committee has been set up to consider this ecclesiastical issue. At the same time, the press release states that "Father Sava Bizanias shows authoritative initiatives in communication with some Ukrainian communities in Australia, acting anti-canonically," as he is not authorized to do so either by Phanar or by Epiphany or by the Archdiocese of Australia.

"The communities interested in joining the Holy Archdiocese of Australia should contact the Holy Archdiocese directly," the document said.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote the UOC-KP had announced the official registration of its vicariate in the United States.

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