Bucharest, October 28, 2024
Photo: podul.ro
The Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church has announced its intentions to move ahead with its “Romanian Orthodox Church in Ukraine” project despite legal setbacks.
The structure was initially established by Synodal decision on 
Romanian Synod establishes “Romanian Orthodox Church of Ukraine,” Ukrainian hierarch respondsA number of important decisions were made during the session of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church held in Bucharest on February 29.
“>February 29, but 
Ukrainian authorities will not register “Romanian Orthodox Church of Ukraine”At its session on February 29, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church made the controversial decision to establish its own structure in Ukraine.”>in August it was reported that the Ukrainian State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience refuses to legally register the structure, because the state backs the so-called “Orthodox Church in Ukraine,” which is recognized by schismatic by the majority of the Orthodox world.
At its session on October 25, according to the Basilica News Agency, the Romanian Synod stated its disappointment at the decision and also its intention to move ahead:
With regret, the Synod acknowledged the unjustified postponement by Ukrainian authorities of legal recognition for the “Romanian Orthodox Church in Ukraine” religious association despite its compliance with all applicable Ukrainian laws. The Synod approved continued efforts with central authorities in Romania and Ukraine to resolve this legitimate request.
There are well over 100 Romanian-language and tradition parishes in western Ukraine. 
Call to urgently transfer Romanian parishes in western Ukraine to Romanian Church after authorities seize memorial chapelThe National Council of Romanians in Ukraine requests urgency in the process of transferring Romanian Orthodox communities in Ukraine under the care of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
“>In late August, Ukrainian authorities seized one of these Romanian churches for the first time, which greatly exacerbated the situation and led to increasing calls from Romanian organizations for the Romanian parishes to be transferred to the jurisdiction of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
***
At its session on Romanian Synod establishes “Romanian Orthodox Church of Ukraine,” Ukrainian hierarch respondsA number of important decisions were made during the session of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church held in Bucharest on February 29.
“>February 29, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church made the controversial decision to establish its own structure in Ukraine. The bishops have been concerned about the fate of the more than 100 ethnically Romanian parishes in western Ukraine for several years now, amidst the growing ecclesiastical schism that picked up steam in 2018-2019 with the creation of the schismatic “Orthodox Church of Ukraine”, and now the war in Ukraine with the accompanying state persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
This decision was rejected by both the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which 
Ukrainian Church calls on Romanian Church to reconsider opening its own structure in UkraineOn February 29, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Church announced the creation of its structure in Ukraine, saying it encourages the more than 100 churches of Romanian ethnicity in Ukraine to join the new structure in order to “restore communion with the Mother Church, the Romanian Patriarchate.”
“>called on the Romanian Synod to reconsider, and the schismatic “Orthodox Church of Ukraine,” which also claims to have jurisdiction in Ukraine.
The State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience has also refused to legally register the Romanian structure. Responding to a question from the Romanian outlet podul.ro, the Service said that acknowledging the “Romanian Orthodox Church of Ukraine” would violate Orthodox ecclesiology (though the state sponsored the creation of the parallel, schismatic OCU jurisdiction).
Instead, the authorities propose to create a special Romanian structure within the “Orthodox Church of Ukraine,” just as there is a Ukrainian structure within the Romanian Orthodox Church.
Ukrainian schismatics to create Romanian Vicariate without a single Romanian parishThe Romanian Synod stated in February that its evaluation of the Ukrainian issue largely depends upon the fate of the Romanian faithful in Bukovina who are concerned about preserving their ethnic and linguistic identity.
“>In July 2019, the Synod of Bishops of the schismatic OCU announced its intention to create a Romanian vicariate, hoping it would persuade the Romanian Church to recognize them, but the Romanian faithful living in Ukraine showed no interested.
Follow OrthoChristian on Twitter, Vkontakte, Telegram, WhatsApp, MeWe, and Gab!