Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2023 21:01:53 GMT
spzh.news/ru/news/77155-namestnik-lavry-prokommentiroval-vstrechu-s-eks-mitropolitom-aleksandrom
On the 23rd of November 2023, a most unexpected but hopeful meeting took place. Ukrainian Orthodox Metropolitan Pavel of Vyshgorod, who has been in prison and under house arrest for most of this year on false charges of "supporting the aggression of the Russian Federation", met Metropolitan Alexander (Drabinko), a prominent cleric of the "OCU" who is banned from service in the UOC due to his defection to the OCU.
Metropolitan Alexander was a high-ranking bishop of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church from the mid-2000s until the mid-2010s. He was the main assistant and companion of Metropolitan Vladimir (Sabodan) of Kyiv and All Ukraine (1935-2014). During the time of Metropolitan Vladimir's illness, Alexander practically ran the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and was frequently in conflict with the "pro-Russian" wing of the Church, in particular with Metropolitan Agafangel of Odessa.
In 2018, Metropolitan Alexander defected to the new religious organisation that is regarded as non-canonical and illegitimate, the "Orthodox Church of Ukraine". Therefore he was banned from serving as a priest or bishop by the UOC.
This meeting with Metropolitan Pavel, a high-ranking Ukrainian Orthodox bishop who was only recently released from prison on bail, where he was being held on false charges, is quite interesting. Apparently the meeting was cordial, with the two men reminiscing about their memories of Metropolitan Vladimir and their pilgrimages to Mount Athos.
The meeting is interesting precisely because Metropolitan Pavel represents the most persecuted figure in the UOC - somebody who has literally given up his liberty to maintain fidelity to his Church. Alexander, on the other hand, was somebody who was almost at the top of the UOC but chose to defect despite not facing any threats or censures for being part of the UOC. In other words, they were both high-ranking Ukrainian Orthodox bishops, but both have taken opposite paths over the last ten years.
Metropolitan Pavel said he hopes Alexander will return to the UOC and leave the schism.
Moreover, the meeting comes at a time when the UOC is under intense pressure and facing a possible ban. Just a day or so ago, nationalists in military uniform raided a UOC church and broke the jaws of priests defending it.
Despite the fact these two bishops are on opposite sides of the conflict - one is the persecutor, the other the persecuted - they met to discuss their shared memories of a different Ukraine, almost a different world. I hope this meeting was not without value.
On the 23rd of November 2023, a most unexpected but hopeful meeting took place. Ukrainian Orthodox Metropolitan Pavel of Vyshgorod, who has been in prison and under house arrest for most of this year on false charges of "supporting the aggression of the Russian Federation", met Metropolitan Alexander (Drabinko), a prominent cleric of the "OCU" who is banned from service in the UOC due to his defection to the OCU.
Metropolitan Alexander was a high-ranking bishop of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church from the mid-2000s until the mid-2010s. He was the main assistant and companion of Metropolitan Vladimir (Sabodan) of Kyiv and All Ukraine (1935-2014). During the time of Metropolitan Vladimir's illness, Alexander practically ran the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and was frequently in conflict with the "pro-Russian" wing of the Church, in particular with Metropolitan Agafangel of Odessa.
In 2018, Metropolitan Alexander defected to the new religious organisation that is regarded as non-canonical and illegitimate, the "Orthodox Church of Ukraine". Therefore he was banned from serving as a priest or bishop by the UOC.
This meeting with Metropolitan Pavel, a high-ranking Ukrainian Orthodox bishop who was only recently released from prison on bail, where he was being held on false charges, is quite interesting. Apparently the meeting was cordial, with the two men reminiscing about their memories of Metropolitan Vladimir and their pilgrimages to Mount Athos.
The meeting is interesting precisely because Metropolitan Pavel represents the most persecuted figure in the UOC - somebody who has literally given up his liberty to maintain fidelity to his Church. Alexander, on the other hand, was somebody who was almost at the top of the UOC but chose to defect despite not facing any threats or censures for being part of the UOC. In other words, they were both high-ranking Ukrainian Orthodox bishops, but both have taken opposite paths over the last ten years.
Metropolitan Pavel said he hopes Alexander will return to the UOC and leave the schism.
Moreover, the meeting comes at a time when the UOC is under intense pressure and facing a possible ban. Just a day or so ago, nationalists in military uniform raided a UOC church and broke the jaws of priests defending it.
Despite the fact these two bishops are on opposite sides of the conflict - one is the persecutor, the other the persecuted - they met to discuss their shared memories of a different Ukraine, almost a different world. I hope this meeting was not without value.