Ukrainian Catholic, Orthodox leaders talk of easing tensions

Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of the Ukrainian Catholic Church
met on August 23 with the leader of the Russian-backed Ukrainian
Orthodox Church, for a friendly conversation that contrasted with past
bitter exchanges between the Ukrainian Catholic and Orthodox
hierarchies. 

Metropolitan Volodymyr of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow
patriarchate) welcomed the Catholic leader to his residence, and Major
Archbishop Shevchuk congratulated his Orthodox counterpart on the 45th
anniversary of his episcopal ordination, before the two settled in to a
more substantive discussion of relations between their churches. 

The Ukrainian Catholic Church - the largest of the Eastern churches in
communion with the Holy See - has frequently been the focus of complaints
from Orthodox leaders, especially in Moscow. 

After years of Communist
repression, the Ukrainian Catholic Church burst vigorously into public
life after the fall of the Soviet regime. 

The Russian Orthodox Church
has complained about this Catholic activity in a land that the Moscow
patriarchate regards as its own “canonical territory.” 

Ukrainian
Catholic leaders, in turn, demanded the return of Catholic parish
churches that had been confiscated during the Stalinist persecution and
handed over to local Orthodox communities. 

During their meeting,
Metropolitan Volodymyr and Major Archbishop Shevchuk agreed that future
conflicts should be handled through friendly dialogue.

The Orthodox Church in Ukraine is also divided, with Metropolitan
Volodymyr heading the group that has maintained its alliance with
Moscow. 

Another group, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev
patriarchate, is headed by Patriarch Filaret. 

Once recognized by Moscow
as the Metropolitan of Ukraine, Filaret broke away from the Russian
Orthodox Church to establish a separate Ukrainian patriarchate after the
country won independence.

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