Why the UOC-KP refuses to accept indicators of the Cross Processions

The Kyiv Patriarchate looks like a sort of Moska from the fable of Krylov, whose nose constantly gets hit by the tail of an elephant.

The religious processions of the UOC and UOC-KP, which took place during the celebrations on the occasion of the anniversary of the Baptism of Kievan Rus, once again created many resonant themes for reflection. This year, all the forces of the media were thrown to divert attention from the number of believers, emphasizing how everything happened.

It’s common now that the religious procession of the UOC was highlighted not from the best perspective. Journalists complained about the blocked center of Kiev, enhanced security measures and other nuances, which, among other things, were also characteristic of the procession of the UOC-KP. As for the procession of the Kyiv Patriarchate, the emphasis was laid on patriotism, herewith it was constantly stressed that the ATO soldiers took part in the event organized by the UOC-KP.

However, this time as much attention as possible was drawn from important details, which we will try to emphasize below.

So what was the total number?

The UOC KP camp points to the fact that quality matters more than quantity. The reason of such KP’s argumentation is clear to everybody. This year the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has gathered nearly 100 000 people in the capital and one can hardly challenge this fact. Photos and video materials prove it that the UOC Procession stretched for a distance of almost five kilometers. Moreover, for a long time it was possible to observe how one end of the column had already entered the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, at a time when the other was still on the Holy Vladimir Hill.

The situation with the procession of the UOC-KP was completely different. According to the police and individual mass media, the number of the group that formed the procession of the Kyiv Patriarchate did not amount to 5,000 people. In particular, on the very day of the march, even the outlet Ukrinform loyal to the UOC KP stated that in the procession from the Holy Vladimir Hill up to the Vladimir Cathedral, 2,000 people took part with 3,500 policemen guarding them.

Cross Procession versus statistics

Why the number of people is so important in this situation, it is not difficult to guess. During this year, the Kyiv Patriarchate, together with the Ministry of Culture, various publications and social research agencies, replicated the information that the UOC-KP exceeds the canonical Church in terms of its supporters by almost three times. Sometimes in these opinion polls, fabulous figures were voiced, for example, in the sociological survey of TNS MMI, which stated that 60% of the population refers to the UOC-KP, and 24% to the UOC.

The current procession in Kiev broke down all the arguments and sociological studies, apparently framed-up, proving that there is an extremely large number of believers behind the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. What can I say, when even if from Rivne region, where the UOC-KP has sufficiently firm positions, more than 600 people came to Kiev on July 27?

The religious procession of the UOC once again became a living testimony of faith and demonstrated that in the canonical Church there is both quantity and quality. The people who took part in the celebrations spent the holiday days completely apolitically, in a prayerful mood and with the hope for peace in Ukraine.

Crusade procession vs. Cross procession

As for the quality of both events, here, too, you can pay attention to a few points. The first of them is that the UOC-KP during its event decided to "play with muscles." How else to explain the fact that a third of those present in the procession were dressed in a military uniform? And in this situation there are no claims to the military! The greatest surprise was caused by "priests" who wore elements of priestly vestments on top of army uniforms.

Meanwhile, the attention of the media was mostly focused on these people. And in the UOC-KP itself they actually recognized that the chaplain segment in this form of clothing is a trendy "gimmick", if I may say so, of their religious march. In addition, in the procession of the Kyiv Patriarchate, many national and nationalist symbols were traditionally seen, political slogans and Ukrainian folk songs were heard from the crowd. In other words, the "procession" of this confession was more like a political rally with elements of a crusade.

It is also very important to pay attention to the number of participants in the religious procession of the UOC-KP. During the meeting of the Synod of the UOC-KP of May 13, 2017, magazine No. 16 was adopted, which, inter alia, obliged "to instruct the diocesan bishops to ensure the participation of representatives of the clergy and laity of the dioceses entrusted to them in these festivities." That is, in the Kyiv Patriarchate preparations for the events on the day of the Baptism of Rus have been made since May 2017. The above point indicates that the Synod of the UOC-KP obliged bishops of this confession to bring as many people as possible to Kiev on July 28.

In short, the UOC KP representatives have delivered participants to the capital. There is nothing criminal about it – the UOC participants were also brought to Kiev from various eparchies. Interesting though, how many UOC KP followers would have come to the event if there had been no instructions from the top hierarchy?

Falsehood, fuss and other freaks

Although even before the festive event, the UOC-KP, as if anticipating their fiasco, began to talk about the fact that the number is not the main thing; eventually, Filaret proponents did not refrain from commenting on this topic. Well, proponents… Stop the music! Mikhail Denisenko – their chief – openly lied before dozens of television cameras, saying that the UOC-KP event was attended by more people than a similar event of the UOC the day before.

These words of Filaret were actively repeated by his close-knit followers. And only the press secretary of the UOC-KP, Eustratiy Zorya, constantly tried to divert attention from the topic of quantity, since he understood that masshood is not a strength of the Kiev Patriarchate. Loyal media simply ignored the number of participants in the UOC-KP procession, at times saying something like "thousands of believers took part in the procession of the UOC-KP."

By the way, these "thousands" also embarrassed the national police in Kiev. The first few hours after the UOC-KP took place, on the official Facebook page it was stated that the number of believers of the UOC-KP at the event was 2,000 people. Then the correction was made at the same place. The words "two thousand" changed for "thousands of people".

When size makes a difference

No matter who could say what, but in our situation the size of the procession, or rather its strength is important. This information would not be so significant if the UOC-KP did not contrast itself continually to the UOC. For example, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church never measures itself with the RCC and UGCC, because this issue has never arisen between these faiths.

Drawing attention to this point, the Kiev Patriarchate is putting its head on the block, for it looks like a sort of dog Moska from the fable of Krylov, whose nose constantly gets hit by the tail of an elephant. The elephant in this situation is the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.