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Georgian Patriarchate Won’t Comment on UOC-MP Orthodox Statements

30.01.2006, [17:38] // Orthodox //

Kyiv – Archpriest David Sharashenidze, head of the press service of the Georgian Patriarchate, refused to comment on a statement distributed in the name of the Chancellery of the Georgian Patriarchate by the press service of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP). The statement in question regards the canonical status of clergy associated with a new parish for Georgian Orthodox faithful which opened in Kyiv on 22 January. RISU’s Ukrainian-language site posted the news on 30 January 2006.

A statement had been spread saying that Bishop Christopher (Samalaidze) and Archpriest Vasyl (Kobakhidze) of the Orthodox Church of Georgia (GOC), who, together with Patriarch Filaret (Denysenko), head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate (UOC-KP), celebrated a Liturgy on 22 January at a new parish in Kyiv for Georgian Orthodox faithful, “are forbidden to serve.”

According to the press service of the UOC-KP, a copy of the statement in question which it received by fax lacked input data and the signature of a person who could possibly confirm the accuracy of the text.

Representatives of the Georgian delegation reported that all official statements of the GOC are released by the press service of the GOC and not by the chancellery.

Representatives of the UOC-KP also doubt information about a phone conversation of Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan), head of the UOC-MP, with Catholicos Illia II, head of the GOC, as “its fact and contents cannot be confirmed.”

Source and previous related RISU story:

• http://www.uaorthodox.org/news.php?pid=689

• http://www.risu.org.ua/eng/news/article;8831/