The UOC hoped for a sound assessment of the situation in Ukraine. Before the meeting of Patriarch Bartholomew in 2018 with members of the Holy Synod of the UOC, Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich) traveled several times, personally met with him, presented him with the real situation, based on documents. But for some reason, the logic was not perceived by the canonical Church, but the logic of the schismatics, says Metropolitan Borysplisky and Brovarskiy Anthony in the videoproject “Faces”.

“We understand that in many ways this is not even an ecclesiastical issue, but a big geopolitical one. Unfortunately, Patriarch Bartholomew chose this path. Although, apparently, there was already some ground for opposing the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, forgive me for these words, in a villainous way. Because when we were then told about the situation that it needed to be corrected, that there was a lot of injustice in the past centuries, I personally asked the question – why weren’t these questions raised earlier? To which Metropolitan John (Zizioulas) said: “But there was no opportunity.”

That is, as if they were expecting a certain situation when one could simply, in a direct and arrogant way, intervene in the church life of another Local Church. When there was no possibility, when there was a different reality, they (Phanariots) acknowledged us very reverently, spoke good words. But when the opportunity arose, then again, forgive me, (they have become like) a predator who is waiting for when you can pounce on the prey. Unfortunately, this is what happened.

This contradicts not only canonical rules, canonical life, it just contradicts common sense. All of us who live here understood that they could not do anything positive with this act. There will only be a new deepening of the division that already exists. In addition, there is not even a desire to admit that he (Patriarch Bartholomew) did not do that.

When we declare about the seizures, beatings of our parishioners, our priests, they (phanariotes) do not seem to notice this. As if some kind of veil in front of their eyes. This, of course, is a spiritual illness, because (it is) the insensibility of the pain of another person, especially the Church, which they consider their daughter. Is this how a parent can see their daughter’s suffering? And not to try to help, but to accept the logic of those who mock their daughter? This, I will say it again, is not only not ecclesiastical logic, but also not human. There is no humanity in these actions (of the Phanariots),” said Metropolitan Anthony.