Statement of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia in Support of the Canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church

April 29, 2018 15:05 April 26-27, 2018 in New York, under the chairmanship of Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York , a meeting of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia was held , whose members represent the dioceses of the ROCA in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. The Synod made a statement in connection with the events in Ukraine. We, the members of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, who carry our ministry in North America, Europe and Australia, with painful sincerity, as on the sacred land of Kievan Rus, dear to us the Land of Ukraine, treacherous political aspirations again, as has already happened in history, under the guise of some religious activity, but with the obvious purpose of inciting hatred and disorder in the Orthodox people, with the intention of stirring up a church schism. Attempts are being made to create on this long-suffering land a special "autocephalous church" in the place of the canonical, all recognized Ukrainian Orthodox Church headed by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy of Kiev and All Ukraine . Since 1990, this church has autonomy, i. independence and independence in their management. Before us is nothing but a crafty effort to use religious feelings and subordinate them to the political goals of today's authorities, which directly contradicts the tradition and canonical norms of the Holy Orthodox Church. We pray to Almighty God that the passions and troubles, stirred up by the efforts of those who are alien to the spirit and grace of the church people, disappear like smoke, and the quarrels are reassured by His mercy, and that the world of the three-day Resurrected Human God-man reigns in their hearts. With this statement, we express our full support to His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufri, as well as his archpastors, clergy, monastics and flock of the only canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church and with love we bow before their confession. No changes in the life of the Church can be initiated and imposed upon it by secular authorities. The current attempts to influence the life of the Church from the outside only reveal the purely non-church motives and goals of those trying to implement them. We call on all to pray for the canonical Orthodox Church in the land of Ukraine so that the present attempt of the church schism will turn into nothing, and that peace and brotherly love always dominate the relationship between the Local Orthodox Churches.