The head of the Department for external Church relations of Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk tried to convince political leaders in Ukraine not to encroach on Church unity And I am sure that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-MP will stand under the powerful exerted on it by the pressure. About It reported in the report of the Synodal information Department of the ROC.

in a statement to the faithful on the anniversary of the death of the Primate of the UOC-MP, Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan), Metropolitan Hilarion said that today Ukraine is experiencing heavy periods, And " policy again, which is not enough happened that happened in the 90-ies, admonished against Church unity, trying to strengthen And finalize the split that has existed for more than 20 years."

According to Metropolitan Hilarion, even under strong pressure, the Church must defend its integrity And to protect what has been accumulated over many centuries.

"Citizens of the Church, who put on the 1st place in the service of Church unity, and not adherence to political fashion, such as the ever-memorable Metropolitan Volodymyr, Metropolitan of Kyiv And all Ukraine Onufry," I understand that political expediency can be build only the immediate political happiness, which goes as fast as replace one another policy, " said the Bishop.

Politicians, he noted, That "citizens who come on time" And they " can't infringe on something that stands for centuries, that may not fluctuate by any political winds or storms, - the Church of Christ, Church unity, what we have inherited from the Holy Prince Vladimir." This is the unity that exists beyond political boundaries, across divisions over the civil war, we are all together - And in Russia, And in Ukraine, And in Byelorussia, And in the other countries will strengthen ", - the statement reads.

Metropolitan of Kiev And all Ukraine Vladimir (Sabodan) was the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-MP since may 1992. The head of the UOC died July 5, 2014 on the 79 th year of life after long illness.

sections: Politics