In 2024, I published an article in Polish thought entitled “Metropolita Sawa is right” in which I presented why the Polish Autokephal Church of the Orthodox Church (PAKP) does not recognise the racial (break-up) Orthodox Church of Ukraine (PCU). Let me remind you briefly of the main thesis.
As is known in contrast to the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church does not have a centralised structure at the head of which the Pope (Patriarch). In the planet there are 15 autokephal (self-contained) churches, which are combined with dogmas of religion and canons. The territory on which a given autokephal church operates is free from any interference of another church.
Since the 17th century, the territory of present-day Ukraine has been under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. After the dissolution of the USSR operating in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church received broad autonomy from the Moscow Patriarchate. Despite this in 2018, for purely political reasons, under force from Ukrainian president Petr Poroshenko and the American State Department, The Patriarch of Constantinople, breaking the existing canons, intervened in Ukraine and established the divided Orthodox Church of Ukraine (PCU). It was headed by “the bishops” who were previously excluded from the clergy for their racial activity, and thus persons who are actually lay people, without apostolic succession, which in both the Catholic and Orthodox Church is essential to execute all functions. In another words, they are not actual bishops, they are dressed in spiritual robes. The sin of rasculus is, according to the canons recognized by all the Churches, a mortal sin which even the martyr's death does not wash away.
Apart from the Patriarch of Constantinople, only 3 of the 15 existing autokephal churches were recognized by the divided Ukrainian church. In any case, the divided Ukrainian Church is besides affected by the heresy of entophiletism consisting in exalting its own people. The first disturbing signals are here. On the United Council, president P. Poroshenko spoke about politics alternatively of talking about God and the Gospel. We are besides dealing with a patriotic-nationalist attitude of the parts of the clergy of the PCU, frequently flaunting trizub in liturgical robes, crosses, icons and modifying texts of worship and liturgical symbolism in a nationalistic spirit, is progressed by the glorification of the CNS-UPA. So much for reminding my erstwhile text to realize the current situation.
The Tomos given in 2018 to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine by Patriarch Constantinople prohibited the recently created PCU from carrying out spiritual activities outside Ukraine, but who from dressed as clergy “bishops” and “princes” would care about specified details. After the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war, raskolnica eagerly began to make activities in Poland, where according to the canons only the PAKP can operate. Temples to execute pseudo liturgy were made available to them by the Roman-Catholic Church. This church, officially proclaiming the principles of ecumenism, took on an enemy activity towards the Polish Orthodox Church.
Recently, an interview with the “priest” of PCU Sergei Sirenko operating in Warsaw was published in the Ukrainian online weekly „Zwieszczodło tyku” magazine, in which he accused PAKP of cooperating with the Russian Church, which is simply a complete misunderstanding. The PAKP recognizes all canonical churches, including the Orthodox church of the Moscow Patriarchate and this has nothing to do with sympathy or deficiency of it. It is simply a message of the existing fact. besides the Patriarchate of Constantinople I recognise the Russian Orthodox Church, but in this case Mr. Sirenko sees nothing wrong. The illegal activity of the PCU in Poland is considered to be a missionary activity and a Bunczczuchural announcement that this activity will proceed in Poland besides after the end of the war. In the remainder of the interview, Mr Sirenko tells us that he is praying together with representatives of the Catholic Church, which I leave without comment. They besides regret that the PAKP does not have any contacts with the clergy-dressed lay people forming the PCU, even though Mr.Serhii Dumenko, a professed Epiphanius – the “metropolita” of the PCU has already written respective letters addressed to the Polish metropolitan of Sawa, but as could be expected, received no reply.
In the final part of the interview, Mr Sirenko complains that he is not allowed to pray at the Orthodox cemetery in Wola, Warsaw. After all, this cemetery is owned by the PAKP and it would be hard to anticipate that the Polish Church will let people dressed in spiritual robes to pray in this cemetery. Also, the Catholic Church would not let a priest to pray in a parish cemetery. It can be said, then, that Mr Sirenko pours vain regrets. Unfortunately, the situation is serious. The breakers first led to serious confusion in the church life in Ukraine, where, as is known, they ignite spiritual hatred, forcefully take over the canon church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, beat the faithful and clergy defending temples, and now want to ignite hatred among believers in Poland. It is sad that in these activities they have more or little authoritative support of the clergy of the Polish Roman-Catholic Church.
Jacek Marczyński
photo of wikipedia
Think Poland, No. 13-14 (29.03-5.04.201026)
