News

Russian Orthodox Church's Synod accuses Patriarchate of Constantinople of 'gross violation of canons' over sending exarchs to Ukraine (updated)

Moscow, September 8, Interfax - The Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church has made a special statement on Saturday due to the assignment of two exarchs, representatives of Patriarch Bartholomew, to Ukraine.

"The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church has expressed resolute protest and deep outrage over the statement of September 7, 2018, of the General Secretariat of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople announcing the appointment of two hierarchs of this church, archbishop Daniel (the U.S.) and Bishop Hilarion of Edmonton (Canada), as 'exarchs' of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Kiev," the Synod said in a statement posted on the Russian Orthodox Church's official website.

The Synod members have noted that this decision was made without an approval of Patriarch Kirill and Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and is "a grossest violation of the church canons, which forbid bishops of one local church to interfere with other local church's internal life and affairs."

This decision also "fully contradicts the previously unwavering stance of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and personally Patriarch Bartholomew, who have repeatedly said that he recognizes His Holiness Metropolitan Onufry as the only canonical head of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine," the statement said.

The Moscow Synod pointed out that the decision of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople to take into consideration the issue of granting autocephaly to "Ukraine's Orthodox believers" was made "against the will of bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, who unilaterally stood in favor of maintaining its current status."

"By means of justifying its interference with affairs of other local church, the Patriarch of Constantinople cites false interpretations of historical facts and exceptional powers he allegedly has, which no one has ever had and no one has in reality," the Synod said.

"These actions bring relations between the Russian Church and the Church of Constantinople into a deadlock and pose a real threat to the unity of the entire global Orthodox Christianity," it said.

"Whole responsibility of these uncanonical actions lies personally at the door of Patriarch Bartholomew and all persons in the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople supporting them," the Holy Synod of the Russian Church said, adding that "the Moscow Patriarchate's response will promptly ensue."

On Friday, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople appointed Archbishop Daniel of Pamphilon (the U.S) and Bishop Hilarion of Edmonton (Canada) as its exarchs in Kiev "within the framework of the preparations for the granting of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine."

Print this page

Home

News

.	Customize latest news

• Moscow Mayor Sobyanin proposes to leave Lubyanskaya Square as it is for now 26 February 2021, 22:42
• Acting leader of Abkhazian Diocese is member of Georgian Church - Georgian Patriarchate 26 February 2021, 17:44
• Search underway on premises of Sredneuralsky Convent 26 February 2021, 17:41
• Defrocked priest Sergy's pretrial detention extended until end of spring 26 February 2021, 10:00
• Armenian Apostolic Church urges politicians to start talks 25 February 2021, 15:04
• Omsk resident fined 375,000 rubles for excusing terror attack in New Zealand 25 February 2021, 11:48
• Yakutian shaman Gabyshev charged with violence against police officer 25 February 2021, 10:45
• Meeting between Russian patriarch, Pope doesn't improve Christians' position in Middle East contrary to expectations - Metropolitan Hilarion 24 February 2021, 10:00
• Muscovites will choose between monuments to Dzerzhinsky, Alexander Nevsky on Lubyanka Square 20 February 2021, 10:03
• Former schema-monk Sergy admits giving bribe amounting to 'millions of dollars' 18 February 2021, 16:30
• World Russian People's Council backs idea of Ivan III monument on Lubyanka Square in Moscow 18 February 2021, 16:11
• FJCR suggests reinstalling fountain at Lubyanka 18 February 2021, 15:30
• Suspected organizer of Jehovah's Witnesses cell in Russia's Kemerovo region placed under house arrest 17 February 2021, 14:11
• Police detain man who splashed Holocaust monument in Yerevan with paint 17 February 2021, 13:44
• The giant castle of corona cannibal to be burned in Russia on Maslenitsa 17 February 2021, 12:08
• Lawyers' association supports bill limiting surrogate motherhood in Russia 17 February 2021, 10:00
• FSB detain people suspected of financing ISIL under guise of donations to mosques in Crimea, Tatarstan 16 February 2021, 15:19
• World Union of Old Believers backs idea to place Ivan III monument on Moscow's Lubyanka Square 16 February 2021, 09:44
• Metropolitan Hilarion concerned by detention on non-participants in unsanctioned rallies 15 February 2021, 09:17
• Moscow court arrests 2 Jehovah's Witnesses 15 February 2021, 09:15
• Foreign Intelligence Service head compares those who insult WWII veterans to Nazi collaborators 12 February 2021, 11:53
• Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan postponed to next year 12 February 2021, 11:07
• Sputnik V vaccine halal - Gamaleya Center expert 12 February 2021, 10:03
• Court denies former schema hegumen Sergy right to participate in dispute over church on territory of Sredneuralsky Convent 10 February 2021, 20:39
• Several organizers of Jehovah's Witnesses cell detained in Moscow 10 February 2021, 11:43
• Resident of Russia's Dagestan jailed for 10 years for killing local rabbi 10 February 2021, 11:14
• Tajik authorities classify sentence of opposition Islamic party leader 09 February 2021, 17:35
• The International Day of Human Brotherhood celebrates in Russia for the first time 09 February 2021, 10:13
• Tolerance lessons have already been held for half a million schoolchildren in Russia 09 February 2021, 10:04
• Moscow City Court upholds arrest of schema-hegumen Sergy 09 February 2021, 10:00

Other news