In his interview to the Ukrainian website glavom.ua, Emeritus “Patriarch” Firalet Denysenko refers to the facts that led to the bestowal of the ecclesiastic status of Autocephaly to the Church of Ukraine.
Filaret admits that the state has contributed to the establishment of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, stressing that this is totally normal.
In particular, he characteristically said that “some say that the state has interfered. The state has not interfered, but it helped. Without an independent Church, there can be no State.
He also expressed his “contentment” for the fact that the Orthodox Church of Ukraine was granted the Tomos of Autocephaly by Ecumenical Patriarch. “With the appropriate conditions, thanks to our Lord, Ecumenical Patriarch, although Moscow was firmly opposed, granted us Autocephaly”.
Emeritus “Patriarch” Filaret also argued that he did not attend the ceremony for the granting of the Tomos of Autocephaly at the Ferer on January 6, because the Autocephalous Church of Ukraine is not recognized by the Patriarchate but by the Metropolis.
“I am a Patriarch, so my presence in the ceremony would mean that Ecumenical Patriarch recognized the Church of Ukraine as a Patriarchate”, he characteristically said, adding that such a recognition as a Patriarchate could be realized if all the Orthodox Ukrainians unite in one and only Church.
“We are Patriarchate, but only in Ukraine. In other words, we are a non-recognized Patriarchate, and we are recognized as Metropolis of Kiev. Our aim is to continue to cooperate with parishes and clerics of the Patriarchate of Moscow. When we unite, then we shall make a claim to Ecumenical Patriarch to grant us the status of Patriarchate”, the Emeritus “Patriarch” pointed out.
Furthermore, Filaret stressed that he awaits for the convening of the Council of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church , “which must accept the Charter of our Church”.
Emeritus “Patriarch” referred to the fact that no Church has yet recognized the new Autocephalous Church of Ukraine, stressing that the Patriarchate of Moscow influences all the other Churches.
“For instance, the Church of Antioch categorically stated that it does not support the Tomos granted by Ecumenical Patriarch. Because Syria depends on Russia, this Church is fully financed by the Russian Church and it is obvious that is shall take the latter into account. The same goes for the other Churches. Moscow influences them one way or another”, said Filaret.
Emeritus “Patriarch” concluded that “Moscow influences all those who have publicly supported the same views with the Church of Antioch. This does not bother us, because it is our mission to unite the Orthodox Christians of Ukraine in one and only Church. When this is achieved, whether they like it or not, they are bound to recognize our Church, because it will be the second Church after the Russian one and bigger than the rest of the Orthodox Churches”.
