In the session of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra sat on July 26, the issue of the church situation in Ukraine was considered among the other issues.
Chairman of the Synodal Information Department of the Russian Orthodox Church Vladimir Legoyda made a statement for the journalists ton that issue upon completion of the session.
According to V.Legoyda, Kyiv is a Synodal capital of the Russian Orthodox Church alongside with Moscow and St Petersburg.
30 journals were considered at the session of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church. The journalists were presented some of them.
Among the other the Holy Synod considered the journal on the church situation in Ukraine. The “Address to the Orthodox Christians staying out of unity with the Holy Church” was approved.
This address states, in particular: “It is harmful for the soul to live in schism. But there is nothing worse for a Christian than to die outside the Church. Many of those who thought of returning, have not gathered themselves up for doing that. Some were restrained by external circumstances. But these circumstances become a matter of the past, and the door to the Church is open, and we are ready to meet all those coming back to its fold.
For, as the Holy Hierarch Gregory the Theologian said, “what we are trying for is not the victory, but returning of the brethren, separation with whom aggrieves us”.
There is nothing humiliating in penance, to which the God’s grace, His mercy and long-sufferance lead you. And there are no obstacles, preventing you to return to the church communion. To return to the place where, as in heavens, there is more joy over one sinner repentant, than of 99 righteous, not needing penance.
The full text of the address is to be published soon at the official website of the Russian Orthodox Church in Russian and Ukrainian.
Concerning the circumstances, which are becoming the matter of the past, Vladimir Legoyda stated in his commentary to the mass-media representatives that, “as we said many times, the circumstances that caused schism were mostly the obstacles of the political and personal nature”. Today one may state that a number of these circumstances, the political ones in particular, became a matter of the past, and the present authorities of Ukraine will try not to interfere with the life of the religious organizations”, the ROC speaker noted.
Vladimir Legoyda also informed the journalists on some other resolutions adopted by the Russian Orthodox Church :
- On February 4 -11, 2011 the Bishop’s Council of the Russian Orthodox Church will take place. Before the convention of the Council the Plenum of the Inter-Conciliar Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church will take place.
- The representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church entered the Chamber of Guradians of the patriarchal literary award of the Holy and Equal to the Apostles Cyril amd Methodius. TheChamberisheadedbyHisHolinessPatriarchKirill. Entering the body on behalf of the UOC is Archbishop Anthony (Pakanych) of Boryspil, chairman of the Ukrainian foundation Borys Oliynyk etc.
- Entering the patriarchal council for culture were also the Ukrainian representatives, among them: Archbishop Ionafan of Tulchyand Bratslav, chairman of the Ukrainian Association for Protection of Monuments professor academician Petro Tolochko.
