The statements of the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church regarding the decisions of the Council of the UOC of May 27, as well as the transfer of the Crimean dioceses to the direct subordination of the ROC, were commented on to “Strana” by Metropolitan Clement of Nizhyn and Priluksky, chairman of the Synodal Information and Education Department of the UOC.

“The statements made in the decisions of the Moscow Synod do not contain direct accusations or ultimatums. In them one can read the understanding that many processes of church life throughout the space that the ROC canonically claims are in close proximity to the point of no return.

The argumentation, as the secular media are now expressing it, of the “annexation” of the Crimean dioceses is presented as “lack of regular communication” with Kyiv. This is a very diplomatic, but unambiguous formulation of agreement with the actions of the UOC, which has no “regular communication” with Moscow at all. And the Patriarchate, in fact, sets an example in which direction our church should continue to implement the decisions of the May Council,” said Metropolitan Clement.