Українська православна спільнота і Константинопольський Патріархат: сучасні проблеми і перспективи взаємовідносин (Ukrainian orthodox community and the Patriarchat of Constantinopole: modern problems and prospectives of relationships)

Abstract

In the twentieth century, the «Ukrainian question» has repeatedly caused aggravations in relations between Moscow and the Constantinople Patriarchate. During the years of independency, the attitude of the Second Rome to Orthodoxy in Ukraine is largely determined by the state of relations with the Third Rome. At the beginning of the autocephalous movement, its leaders had two ideas: factual development of the independent Church and an appeal to the Ecumenical Patriarch. In the case of the UOC-KP, there were not only appeals concerning the fate of the Ukrainian Church but the Patriarch Filaret also made an appeal due to the actions of the Moscow Patriarchate. In 2000 with thanks to the Archbishop Ihor Isichenko, there appeared an idea of joining the Ecumenical Patriarchate as an autonomous church. This scenario was a goal of the Ecumenical Patriarch during negotiations 2000-2001 while he was trying to merge the UOC- KP and UAOC. Considerable efforts ofthe UAOC have been focused on that version since 2005. However, the UOC-KP emphasizes that only recognition of Autocephaly is acceptable for it and it does not want any «temporary entry» under the aegis of the Constantinople Patriarchate. The main task of the UAOC is restoring of the Eucharistic communion with world Orthodoxy and independence from Moscow but for the UOC-KP, it is an imperative demand to get full independence. The best scenario of going out of this situation of church schism is to return with the Church in the diaspora under the aegis of the Ecumenical Patriarch followed by the creation of autocephalous national church. The emergence of an independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church that is Constantinople friendly and which can seriously change the balance of power in Ecumenical Orthodoxy