Dear Friends,
Sorry!
My UAOC sources inform me that when their representatives met with the UOC-KP back in October, the talks came to an impasse.
Essentially, Filaret regarded them as Ukrainian Orthodox "in schism" from him and his vision of reunification, therefore, was for them to simply submit and unite to him as their patriarch.
They would have none of it though . . .
This is probably why they've opened talks with the UOC that is under the Moscow Patriarchate.
Now, to be fair, His Beatitude Met. Vladimir is well known to all the Orthodox bishops in Ukraine, canonical or whatever.
He was their theology professor and is actually well-loved by them - they've no problems with him apart from his association with the MP.
A number of told me they prefer Met. Vladimir Sabodan to Patriarch Filaret - and they say the latter is actually rather a cold fish with a penchant for authoritarianism.
This is not good news for the UOC-KP and its movement.
Whatever transpired in October has seemed to really alienate the UAOC - this is an Orthodox Church of western Ukraine, in effect, and historically there have always been problems with eastern Ukrainians hoarding it over western Ukrainians.
It would also seem that Met. Vladimir is successfully "Ukrainianizing" the Orthodox Church, despite its enduring ties to the MP (ties which are unlike the times of the UGCC to Rome where Rome exercises real and total jurisdictional control over the UGCC).
Met. Vladimir is canonizing Ukrainians saints and Ukrainian miraculous icons, he is "right there" at all Ukrainian national holidays and functions, has excellent relations with the Ukrainian government - despite the Yanukovych fiasco last year, but one could argue that he was succumbing to pressure from Moscow.
As for giving into Moscow, no hierarch in Ukraine can be blameless and especially not Patriarch Filaret. Even President Viktor Yuschenko has been to the Moscow Patriarch to present himself as a "faithful son of Orthodoxy" something that drove many Ukrainian Orthodox autocephalists "bananas."
We'll see what develops and I'll keep you posted!
Alex
