The Union of Orthodox Citizens amazed at "ignorance" of officials organizing celebrations of 1020th anniversary of Russia's Baptism in Ukraine

07 July 2008, 10:04

Moscow, July 7, Interfax - The Union of Orthodox Citizens blamed the Ukrainian presidential secretariat deputy head Yury Bogutsky, who is responsible for organization of celebrations of the 1020th anniversary of Baptism of Russia, for incompetence."

He said at a press conference that the Constantinople Patriarch had not been visiting Ukraine since 1648. However, Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople visited Odessa's St. Assumption Monastery, a historical residence of Moscow and All-Russia Patriarchs, in 1997 by invitation of Patriarch Alexy," the Moscow Department Head of the Union Kirill Frolov told Interfax-Religion.

"May be Bogutsky does not consider Novorossia the Ukrainian territory? And these people blame supporters of bilingual and democratic Ukraine for separatism!" Frolov said.

During the briefing held the day before, Bogutsky also said that the Estonian Orthodox Church which was part of the Moscow Patriarchate had joined the Constantinople jurisdiction in 1998, and that had negatively affected the relations between the two Patriarchates.

"But nothing of the kind happened! The Estonian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate has never joined the Constantinople Patriarchate jurisdiction. The Constantinople Patriarchate made a schism in Estonia, and authorities handed over churches to it by force. Does Bogutsky create a myth of "the transfer of Ukrainian Orthodox Church to Constantinople in 2008?" Frolov asked.

Bogutsky also said that the Council of Constantinople Patriarchate to decide the Ukrainian matter would be held in October.

According to Frolov, "even if such Council is planned, it has no right to "decide the Ukrainian matter" because it is not relegated to its competency, and Ukraine is not included in the canonic territory of Constantinople Patriarchate."

"Illiterate statements of Bogutsky prove that any interference of authorities with the Church might be dangerous, especially when such authority is represented by an incompetent official," Frolov said.

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