Filaret: How could I, hierarch, be willing to kill patriarch?

"Patriarch of Kiev and All Rus-Ukraine" Filaret Denisenko. Photo: Religious Transcarpathia

The head of the Kiev Patriarchate Filaret Denisenko refuted rumors that the death of the second “patriarch” of the UOC-KP Vladimir Romaniuk was violent and Filaret himself was involved in it, said ZIK television channel.

“There were such rumors, true. For this reason I turned to forensic medicine, to the prosecutor's office. And this case was investigated. They came to the conclusion that this death was natural because he had a lot of heart attacks, as he had been fulfilling sentence for 17 years (the Soviet strict security camps and exile – Ed.) and therefore, he had a heart attack in Lutsk before that,” said the “patriarch of Kiev and All Rus-Ukraine”.

Filaret noted that these accusations are unfounded, since he, as a bishop, could not go as far as killing. He added that earlier he was suspected of being involved in the deaths of “metropolitan” Ioann Bodnarchuk and “bishop” Jacob Panchuk.

“How can I, hierarch, be willing to kill the patriarch ?! I was accused of that, actually. Just as I was accused of the intentional accident in order to murder metropolitan Ioann Bodnarchuk. They also accused me of sending bishop Jacob into eternity,” the head of the UOC KP concluded.

He also said that the Security Service of Ukraine has compromising information regarding the leadership of the OCU. “In our time, the SBU is also engaged in it. They collect dirt on each person who interests them. And when they have got something, they say, “Look, what we have against you. If you don’t obey to us, we will reveal it,” he said.

Read also

US helps restore Orthodox church in Turkey after earthquake

Greece signs memorandum on protection of Jerusalem Patriarchate's shrines

Next week, the Greek Parliament will ratify a document on the protection of the cultural heritage of the Jerusalem Patriarchate.

Greek bishop calls imposition of same-sex marriage a threat

Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythera urged families to become a “domestic church” amid threats to the Christian family in Greek laws and school curricula.

Patriarch Bartholomew arrives in Budapest for opening of Orthodox center

The Ecumenical Patriarch has arrived in Hungary, where he will preside over the consecration of the Orthodox center "Phanarion."

OCU raiders stage attack on seized church in Kyiv, media

OCU "hierarch" Serhiy Horobtsov published a provocative post online regarding St. John's Church in Bykivnia seized by his people.

Kamianske Eparchy commemorates New Martyr Ioann Mohylevsky