The UOC MP stated that it received the status of independent and self-governing 20 years ago. The status is enshrined in a document issued by Patriarch Alexei II in 1990 and has now been confirmed.
This was reported by RBC with reference to the head of the Synodal Information and Education Department of the UOC MP, Metropolitan Kliment.
"The Council re-examined the documents that determined the status of the UOC in the previous 30 years and stressed that its status is the status of independent and self-governing. This wording corresponds to a document issued by the Patriarch of Moscow Alexei II in 1990, "said Metropolitan Kliment.
He added that the relevant amendments had been made to the UOC's charter and that they met the challenges facing Ukrainian society today.
Volodymyr Lehoida, head of the Synodal Department of the Moscow Patriarchate for Church-Society and Media Relations, wrote that in the current situation, when "the external forces are trying to destroy the unity of the russian Orthodox Church, it would be irresponsible from our side to go into detailed comments on the decisions taken by the self-governed Ukrainian Orthodox Church."
Legoida noted that the UOC MP is under pressure from "the authorities, schismatics, nationalist representatives of a certain part of the public, from the media."
On May 27, the council of UOC MP condemned the war in Ukraine, declared "full autonomy and independence," and expressed disagreement with the position of the russian Patriarch Kirill.
Earlier it was reported that the Council of Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church took place on May 24. Following the council, Epiphanius will address the Ecumenical Patriarch and the heads of local churches with a request to bring Kirill (Gundyaev) to canonical responsibility and strip him of his patriarchal throne.
Since the beginning of the russian invasion, more than 400 communities of the UOC-MP have joined the UOC.