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UGCC Catholic Head Comments on Visit of Moscow Patriarch to Ukraine
11-07-2009
KYIV-On July 3, 2009, an interview with Patriarch Lubomyr, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, was published in the newspaper "Levyj Bereh." In the interview, the patriarch was asked why Greek Catholics are "moving" to the East, what are the prospects for the relationship with the Moscow Patriarchate, and how to unify a country that has been so divided politically and spiritually. The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church commented on the upcoming visit of the Patriarch of Moscow to Ukraine.
For many online editions, this publication spurred the writing of many information messages. Key phrases used by journalists included the visit to Ukraine by Patriarch Kirill, which is planned for the end of July to the beginning of August, and the relations between the church and the state. "He is coming to visit the faithful, who serve him very loyally, and this is very natural. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church, under the leadership of His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr, is very excited for his visit. They are closely connected to him. He is the Head, Patriarch, and it is a joyous moment for the believers of this church. But we have to ask ourselves: is he coming to visit Ukraine or to visit the believers? For if the state invites him as a state guest, and that is exactly what the Premier Yulia Tymoshenko has done, this means that he will come as a guest of the state," stated the public representatives of Patriarch Lubomyr.
According to Patriarch Lubomyr, "we are glad for our brothers, members of UOC-MP visited by their Head, but such a visit has little concern to me personally or to our church. If anyone wants to go hear him, pray with him, I have no reservations for our believers. The visit itself is a normal church practice."
At the same time, in Patriarch Lubomyr's opinion, there is a danger that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church can become a tool through which Russia would like to prevent full independence of Ukraine. "It is no secret that Russia wants to keep Ukraine under its influence, that it does not agree with our aspirations as a state and a nation. For we, as I see it, aspire to be good neighbors, cooperate, respect each other, but as partners and not as a part of Russia, but as an independent Ukrainian state, which has such a neighbor as Russia, with whom it trades, exchange intellectual and other gifts, but preserves its identity at that. If, God forbid, the church becomes a means to keep Ukraine as a part of the Russian state, it is a very dangerous game. In my opinion, the church should not do that. The church in Ukraine should be Ukrainian even though it cooperates with the Moscow Patriarchate."
Speaking about his own church, the Head of the UGCC acknowledged that, "the church is in a union with the Roman Apostolic See, however, this does not make us any less Ukrainian because Ukraine is our home. When Pope John Paul II visited Ukraine, he encouraged us to love our country, to serve it and not Rome. Thus, the church does not depend on a nation or state. It is disappointing for me to see the mixing up of church and state interests, as it never truly benefits the church."
As for the Russian Orthodox Church, the head of UGCC would like to see that church free, independent, without too close of a connection to the state. According to Patriarch Lubomyr, the church needs it for its life and development. "In order to live and to develop, the church must in essence be fully free, and I want very much for the Russian Church to develop spiritually as a good, strong church for its nation. Everyone would benefit from this," said Patriarch Lubomyr.
http://www.risu.org.ua/eng/news/article;30019/
