▁ 1 6 0 - 5 . ▁Fil aret ▁was ▁an ath emat ized ▁by ▁the ▁Russian ▁Orth odox ▁Church ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁ ▁The ▁U A OC ▁and ▁the ▁U OC - K P ▁were ▁not ▁recognized ▁by ▁other ▁Orth odox ▁churches ▁and ▁were ▁considered ▁sch ism atic . ▁RO C ▁officials ▁stated ▁that ▁the ▁an ath emat ization ▁of ▁Fil aret ▁was ▁" recogn ized ▁by ▁all ▁the ▁Local ▁Orth odox ▁Church es ▁including ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁Constantin ople ". ▁The ▁syn od ▁of ▁the ▁E c umen ical ▁Patri arch ate ▁did ▁indeed ▁recognize , ▁in ▁a ▁July ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁letter ▁to ▁Patri arch ▁Alex y ▁II , ▁the ▁def rock ing ▁of ▁Fil aret ▁by ▁the ▁RO C , ▁ ▁and ▁the ▁E c umen ical ▁Patri arch ▁recognized ▁the ▁an ath emat ization ▁of ▁Fil aret ▁in ▁a ▁letter ▁of ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁to ▁Patri arch ▁Alex y ▁II . ▁ ▁Pre vious ▁attempts ▁at ▁un ification ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁Fil aret ▁Den isen ko ▁said : ▁" The ▁Ukrain ian ▁Orth odox ▁Church - K y ivan ▁Patri arch ate ▁[ U OC - K P ] ▁and ▁the ▁Ukrain ian ▁Auto ce phal ous ▁Orth odox ▁Church ▁[ U A OC ], ▁are ▁not ▁separated ▁in ▁faith , ▁by ▁position ▁as ▁to ▁church ▁can ons , ▁by ▁their ▁views ▁on ▁building ▁up ▁the ▁Ukrain ian ▁state . ▁Therefore , ▁as ▁we