Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill, during his visit to Ukraine, will to try to influence the balance of power in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), but the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church will not be able to take personnel decisions or change the charter of the UOC (MP), an expert has claimed.
“The Synod has no right to make any changes to the founding document of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate). This can be done only by the UOC (MP). That is, in this sense, it cannot take personnel decisions or decisions that will change the charter of the UOC (MP),” Scientific Director of the School of Political Analysis at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy Oleksiy Haran said at a press conference in Kyiv on Wednesday.
He predicted that the patriarch would try to influence the balance of power in the UOC (MP).
He said he believes that the public’s views about the patriarch’s activities will not change in connection with his visit to Ukraine.
Haran also said: “It is important to see what happens behind the scenes, and what is discussed at the Synod of the ROC.”
The expert suggested the “destabilizing role of Patriarch Kirill will be used by the opposition.”
Chairman of the Ukrainian Association of Religious Freedom Viktor Yelensky, in turn, said that no surprises should be expected from the patriarch’s visit to Ukraine.
The experts could not predict whether there will be a meeting between Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.
