Ukrainian Orthodox Metropolitan Locum Tenens (Moscow Patriarchate) awards Jewelled Cross to convicted Rusyn separatist

During the Liturgy on July 13 in Uzhgorod, the Archbishop of Mukachevo and Uzhgorod in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), Fedor (Mamasuyev), officially awarded the dean of Uzhgorod Cathedral, Archpriest Dmitri Sidorov the Jewelled Pectoral Cross (second class). The award took place with the blessing of Metropolitan Chernivtsi and Bukovina, locum tenens of the Kiev metropolitanate of the UOC (MP) Onufriy (Berezovsky), on the recommendation of Bishop Theodore (Mamasuyeva) and with the active support of Metropolitan of Borispol and Brovarskiy, rector of the Kiev Theological Academy and Seminary, and chancellor of the UOC (MP), Anthony (Pakanycha). It is reported on his Facebook page for services in the community "towards one national church."

According to reports, it is surprising that in Transcarpathia, at the same time that the Putinist policy in Moscow is to wage an undeclared war against Ukraine, the leadership of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) awards its highest honour for which clergy are eligible - the Jewelled Cross (second class) - to Archpriest Dmitry, who was recently prosecuted and sentenced for anti-state activities against the territorial integrity of Ukraine, as one of the main separatists in Transcarpathia.

"Dmitry Sidorov has long been an active supporter of the anti-Ukrainian Rusyn separatist political movement, organized by the former KGB from Soviet times to the present day. He is the self-confessed unofficial head of Transcarpathia for Russia, based in Soymy, and the self-confessed ally of Prime Minister Peter Rusyniyi Getsko, who has called upon Russian troops to annexe Transcarpathia, and who is currently hiding in Moscow. Notwithstanding all this, Bishop Theodore (Mamasuyev), in violation of ecclesiastical custom, has publicly announced that from the moment of the presentation of the Jewelled Cross (second class), Archpriest Dmitri Sidorov is to be second in precedence after the Secretary of Mukachevo eparchy at all worship services and other special church events.

According to highly placed sources in the Mukachevo diocese, it is at Uzhgorod Cathedral, of which Dmitry Sidorov is in charge, that the UOC (MP) seminary and academy is to be relocated by its rector of Bishop Theodore (Mamasuyeva). This would provide the Russian Orthodox Church with a centre for future theological training, and shows its exceptional concern to establish a rival in opposition to the existing Uzhgorod Ukrainian Divinity Academy of Saints Cyril and Methodius, whose rector, Archimandrite Professor Victor Bedya the Synod of the UOC (MP) has sought to remove from his post. However, the Academy's academic board has issued an official statement, saying that Uzhgorod Ukrainian Divinity Academy of St. Cyril and Methodius of the Carpathian University will continue to offer theological education and conduct its research activities, with the same level III_IV accreditation levels as other the religious and theological higher education institutions, "under the direction Archimandrite Victor Bedya."

The explanation is simple: "Because after taking monastic vows and being elevated to the rank of Archimandrite by the holy Anthimos, Metropolitan of Thessaloniki at Thessaloniki (Greece) on 20 March 2010, Archimandrite Victor (Bedya) is an Orthodox cleric of the Greek Church and thus the department is answerable to two authorities: those in Ukraine and also the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople."

Source: Місцеблюститель УПЦ (МП) нагородив головного русинського сепаратиста Закарпаття хрестом