The theologian, archimandrite of the Russian Orthodox Church Cyril (Hovorun) believes that the Phanar did not “recognize the schism” in Ukraine, but “healed” it. This, according to Hovorun, is evidenced, among other things, by the official correspondence of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, its rhetoric, which is proclaimed very consistently: the Kyiv Patriarchate was a schism, a schismatic formation that was abolished.

According to Hovorun, the rhetoric about the “Unification” Council is the rhetoric of those who even to this day remain the apologists of the Kyiv Patriarchate. The rhetoric of the “Constituent” Council is the official rhetoric of Constantinople and those who believe that the Kyiv Patriarchate was a schism and that this schism was finally overcome by the efforts of the Phanar.

“As far as I know, in the correspondence with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and even in the official rhetoric of the UAOC (although it is not as well articulated as the rhetoric of the former Kyiv Patriarchate), even the erroneous status of the UAOC and its readiness to repentance were admitted.

By the way, this is what the new Church is sometimes reproached with. They say, “You came to the Church without repentance.” This is not true, because there were official letters with testimonies of repentance, about an attempt to change, adjust their status. There were corresponding appeals to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, so we can say that repentance took place, at least among a significant part of the members of this Constituent Council… Even the very fact of liquidation, the very fact that they are members of the Council, agreed to put an end to the history of their jurisdictions is a fact of repentance,” says Hovorun.