UOC: "Followers of Father Raphael" lead believers to a dangerous delusion (VIDEO)

On August 10 followers of Archimandrite Raphael are going to exhume his remains, anticipating at the same time “great wonders”. Archbishop Vladimir (Orachev), the administrator of Kamensk and Tsarichansk eparchy of the UOC, commented on the situation at hand to the correspondent. It is reported by the UOC Information and Education Department.

"Dear brothers and sisters!,” Archbishop Vladimir addressed the faithful of the UOC. “During the All-Ukrainian Cross Procession-2017 in Kiev, many received from the hands of strangers a book they had not previously suspected about that allegedly there is a new saint from Dnepropetrovsk land. I myself was very surprised. The name of Archimandrite Raphael has been familiar to me for years. But on the first page of this book it was stated the brochure had been published on my blessing. Therefore, the very first thing I want to say personally from myself – I did not give any blessing. None of the followers of Raphael's father requested me about it. And today it has grown into the action. They call on August 10 – the anniversary of the memory of Father Raphael – to come to Elizarovo to the cemetery and become "participants of a great miracle that will shake the whole world." The miracle that has already shaken the whole world is the Resurrection of Christ the Savior. Another event that can shake it is probably only the accession of the Antichrist. That is why all the developments around this event are misleading people who by the naivety of their hearts are searching for a miracle, looking for the heal and help without being aware of whether it means blessing really.”

Vladyka Vladimir noted that on August 10 the Church honors the image of the Mother of God "Hodegetria", and each of the clergymen of the eparchy will pray in their church.

"I will be performing a divine service in the cathedral, although it has been repeatedly announced that there will be a bishop's service in Elizarovo upon finding relics and glorifying the new saint," the Archbishop stressed. "There were no blessings to my other clerics either. Except perhaps cleric father Alexander, who now serves in the parish, where Father Raphael used to serve, can hold a requiem for him. But all this can happen in the context of the need to pray for the deceased on the day of his memory. The eparchy does not know about any other divine services, and there are no blessings to have them."