UOC hierarch explains why he prayed with OCU and Catholics in Chernihiv
The archbishop said that Metropolitan Onuphry was unaware of his participation in the ecumenical prayer service.
Archbishop Nikodim of Liubech (Pustovhar), the vicar of the Chernihiv Eparchy of the UOC, explained why he agreed to take part in a joint prayer service with representatives of the OCU, UGCC, RCC, and Protestant denominations.
In an interview with the resource Glavcom, the hierarch said that he was invited and chose not to decline.
“They asked me: ‘Would you mind coming?’ I replied: ‘I don’t mind – if you invite me, I’ll come,’” he said. According to him, each participant offered a prayer for Ukraine, after which they venerated the relics and had a brief conversation with one another.
At the same time, Archbishop Nikodim emphasized that UOC participation in such initiatives is rare, and he admitted that after the prayer service, his phone was flooded with calls — some critical, some supportive.
He also noted that when the local Regional Council of Churches was being formed in Chernihiv, UOC representatives were not invited to a single meeting. “And now they invited us — (they recognized) that we’re people too, we’re Ukrainians, and we can also pray,” the hierarch stated.
Regarding the reaction of the Church’s leadership, the archbishop said that Metropolitan Onuphry is not aware of his participation: “He’s not a media person, he doesn’t spend time online.”
According to the bishop, he was pleased to have been invited, and many priests responded calmly to the event: “They invited us – we came. We are Ukrainians too. We pray too.”
“If they suggest gathering again with the same group, I will do it again. I'm in favor of things being peaceful,” he added.
Archbishop Nikodim did not receive a blessing to participate from Metropolitan Ambrose (Polikop) of Chernihiv, who is currently seriously ill. He explained that due to the metropolitan’s condition, he has the authority to make current decisions in the eparchy, coordinating with the Metropolitanate in Kyiv when necessary.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that a UOC hierarch took part in a prayer service in Chernihiv alongside representatives of the OCU, RCC, and UGCC.
