Message of the Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on the 10th anniversary of the 1992 Kharkov Bishop’s Council

MESSAGE OF THE SYNOD OF THE UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH ON THE 10^th ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1992 KHARKOV BISHOP’S COUNCIL

Christ is Risen!

Most Reverend archpastors, pastors, honorable monks and nuns, faithful children of the canonical Ukrainian Church beloved in Christ!

This year in these Paschal days we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the historic 1992 Kharkov Council and of the ministry of His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine on the Kievan See.

The Kharkov Council became an important milestone in the modern history of our Holy Church. Under difficult political conditions when the new realities in relations between state and Church were forming, he helped us choose the right way of life and work. The sin of schism committed by the former Metropolitan Philaret (Denisenko) of Kiev, now unfrocked and anathematized, threatened to plunge the faithful into an abyss of perdition and deprive them of any hope for salvation. Schism is the most cardinal sin, which according to St. John Chrysostom, cannot be washed away even with blood and is tantamount to heresy. Guided by care for the wellbeing of their flock, archpastors of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church met on May 27, 1992, in the God-saved city of Kharkov so that their conciliar mind could prevent the approaching danger. Despite the threat and blackmail from the powers that be, the Council took place and adopted the final decision to be in unity with Universal Orthodoxy. Metropolitan Vladimir (Sabodan) of Rostov and Novocherkask was unanimously elected Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, his election indeed was a great sign of God’s mercy to our Church. Under his wise care she confidently started on the way outlined by the Kharkov Council and managed to take a worthy place in society, without betraying her above-wordly vocation, which is to lead people to salvation.

Apologists of the schism try to belittle the significance and canonical validity of the Council and refer to Apostolic Canon 34, which reads that ‘bishops of any people should know their primate and recognize him the head and do nothing that exceeds their authorities without consulting him’. However this rule was not valid for Filaret (Denisenko) as by that time he ceased to be Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, for he had broken the bishops’ oath and pledge before the Cross and the Gospel. The same apostolic rule states that the primate ‘should do nothing without consulting all’. According to the holy canons and Statute of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, in this situation the oldest-consecrated bishop assumes the responsibilities of governing the Church. This was done by His Eminence Metropolitan Nikodim of Kharkov and Bogodukhov. Therefore the Kharkov Council took place according to the holy canons and Statute of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The validity of the Kharkov Council was confirmed unanimously by the bishops and supported by the overwhelming majority of the Ukrainian clergy and faithful. Despite all the difficulties and vicissitudes of history, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is the largest of all the existing confessions in Ukraine today. She unites an overwhelming majority of the Orthodox faithful, leading them on the blessed way to salvation. We have every reason to say that the Orthodox people of Ukraine do not support the schism, which persists thanks only to the support of well-known political authorities. Let us recall that having lost the support of the powers that be in 1943, the renovation crisis disappeared in the matter of a few months.

Our Church maintains prayerful communication with all the Local Orthodox Churches, which was confirmed by the participation of their representatives in the celebrations devoted the 950th anniversary of the Kievan-Cave Laura of the Holy Assumption. At the same time we lament over our separated Orthodox brothers and sisters who today are in schism and are deprived of the mercy of salvation. Our brothers, arms of the Mother-Church are opened to you.

Archpastors, pastors, honorable monks and nuns, faithful children of the canonical Ukrainian Church beloved in Christ! Recalling the 10th anniversary of the Council let us lift up our sincere prayers to God and thank the Lord for His great mercies that He has been granting to our Holy Church. Let us ask the Lord to give spiritual strength and good health to His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine so that he may carry the primatial cross for many blessed and long years for the glory of the Holy Ukrainian Church.

Christ is Risen Indeed!

The press service of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church