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Attempts to create separate church in Ukraine "inciting enmity" — ROCOR

The bishops remind that the Canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church reporting to the Moscow Patriarchate has been autonomous since 1990

MOSCOW, April 29. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko’s idea to create an "independent" church pursues a goal of inciting religious enmity and discord in the country, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia said on Sunday in a statement in support of the Canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

"We, the members of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, who carry out our ministry in North America, Europe and Australia, behold with pained soul that in the sacred territory of Kievan Rus’, our beloved land of Ukraine, treacherous political aspirations arise once again as has happened before in history under the guise of religious activities but with the evident purpose of inciting enmity and discord amongst the Orthodox people, with the intention of inciting a schism in the Church," says the statement.

The bishops remind that the Canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church reporting to the Moscow Patriarchate has been autonomous since 1990, "that is to say, self-governance and independence in its administration."

"Before us at present is nothing other than a crafty effort to seize upon religious sentiments and subordinate them to the political goals of today’s authorities, directly contradicting the tradition and canonical norms of the Holy Orthodox Church," the document reads.

"No alteration to the life of the Church can be initiated or imposed upon her by secular authorities," the Synod of Bishops said.

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