The Vatican can use the disregard for the canons and dogmas of the Orthodox faith in the OCU to bring Ukrainians under the authority of the Pope. Metropolitan of Nizhyn and Pryluky Clement (Vecherya), head of the Information and Education Department of the UOC, said this in an interview for the Serbian newspaper Pechat.

The bishop noted that the mission of the Greek Catholics in Ukraine has remained unchanged since the 17th century – to bring Orthodox believers under the omophorion of the Pope. But the UGCC cannot cope with this task, therefore it cannot achieve the status of patriarchy.

“I think that the Vatican saw a new chance in the OCU and wants to use the absence of canonical principles and the need to adhere to the dogmas of the Orthodox faith in this religious community,” Metropolitan Clement emphasized.