Ukrainian church punishes Filaret, taking from "patriarch" Kyiv diocese, temples
The Synod of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine on Monday decided to deprive Filaret of the right to govern the Kyiv diocese, and, accordingly, to control local temples and monasteries. The corresponding decision of this collegial executive authority of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine was adopted after the Filaret convened a so-called "council" to restore the activities of the Kyiv Patriarchate in defiance of the new church independent from Moscow influence and recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople, BBC reports.
Before the start of the Synod, asked by the BBC whether a radical decision will be made today about the Filaret's excommunication, Metropolitan Epiphany said "no". "We will not be like the Moscow church and pass such decisions," said Epifaniy, who heads the OCU.
Former patriarch Filaret did not recognize the fact that the Kyiv Patriarchate self-disbanded on December 15, 2018, to immediately enter the newly formed autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
Source: Unian