Greek hierarch proposes giving autocephaly to Metropolitan Onuphry

Eleia, Greece, December 16, 2019

Photo: vimaorthodoxias.gr Photo: vimaorthodoxias.gr     

Patriarch Bartholomew’s unilateral actions in Ukraine have caused a Church-wide crisis that can be solved by the convening of a pan-Orthodox council and the granting of autocephaly to the canonical Ukrainian Church, believes Metropolitan Germanos of Eleia Oleni of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Such a council should be convened as soon as possible, the Greek hierarch said at a recent pastoral meeting, reports Vima Orthodoxias.

Following the celebration of the Divine Liturgy for the pastoral meeting, Met. Germanos read out his report on the “Unilateral Granting of Autocephaly by the Ecumenical Patriarchate to Epiphany and the Ukrainian Church.”

“The problem of the autocephalous church of Ukraine has upset the entire Orthodox Church and caused a rupture of communion between the Russian Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate,” the Metropolitan said.

The Church has reached a crucial point, he believes, though both sides bear responsibility. The Church today “is on the threshold of a great schism because of the non-canonical intervention of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and because of the non-canonical behavior of the Moscow Patriarchate.”

The answer to the crisis is for the Patriarchate of Constantinople to convene a pan-Orthodox council, or at least a Synaxis of the Primates, Met. Germanos believes. To solve the current crisis and restore unity in Ukraine, this council should grant autocephaly to His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine.

This autocephaly “should be adopted by a majority vote, not unanimously, because the issue is not dogmatic,” the Metropolitan commented.

Calls for a pan-Orthodox council have been repeatedly voiced within the Church over the past year, though Patriarch Bartholomew has thus far refused to exercise the Church’s synodality in council.

His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem recently invited all the primates to convene in Jordan to address the current issues affecting Church unity, though Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens immediately declared that he would not attend any council not convened by Pat. Bartholomew.

The canonical Church under Met. Onuphry has repeatedly declared that it is not interested in becoming autocephalous. On June 25, the hierarchs of the Ukrainian Church declared: “The existing canonical status is quite sufficient for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to fruitfully carry out its mission among the people of Ukraine. Attempts to alter this status will only lead to a limiting of the rights and freedoms our Church has been endowed with, having the rights of broad autonomy.”

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12/16/2019

See also
Four Greek metropolitans call on primates to convene pan-Orthodox council about Ukraine Four Greek metropolitans call on primates to convene pan-Orthodox council about Ukraine Four Greek metropolitans call on primates to convene pan-Orthodox council about Ukraine Four Greek metropolitans call on primates to convene pan-Orthodox council about Ukraine
Several hierarchs of the Greek Orthodox Church who are concerned for Church unity have appealed to the primates of the Local Orthodox Churches to convene a pan-Orthodox council to resolve the Ukrainian issue that is creating divisions within the Church. Greek Metropolitan: I will reject anyone who rejects the “Orthodox Church of Ukraine” Greek Metropolitan: I will reject anyone who rejects the “Orthodox Church of Ukraine” Greek Metropolitan: I will reject anyone who rejects the “Orthodox Church of Ukraine” Greek Metropolitan: I will reject anyone who rejects the “Orthodox Church of Ukraine”
“Russian clergy and laity who do not recognize the autocephaly granted by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine headed by Metropolitan Epiphany of Kiev will no longer be accepted within the Holy Metropolis of Fokidos” the Metropolitan said during the service. Greek commission chairman: “We should never engage in conflict with the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the Ukrainian issue” Greek commission chairman: “We should never engage in conflict with the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the Ukrainian issue” Greek commission chairman: “We should never engage in conflict with the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the Ukrainian issue” Greek commission chairman: “We should never engage in conflict with the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the Ukrainian issue”
As OrthoChristian has noted many times, the Greek Church is in a unique situation where a large portion of its bishops, who are fully involved in making decisions for the Greek Church, are actually hierarchs of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. That is, the Greek Church has no ability to make decisions without input from Constantinople. Greek metropolitan: Ukrainian autocephaly has nothing in common with other autocephalies Greek metropolitan: Ukrainian autocephaly has nothing in common with other autocephalies Greek metropolitan: Ukrainian autocephaly has nothing in common with other autocephalies Greek metropolitan: Ukrainian autocephaly has nothing in common with other autocephalies
His Eminence Metropolitan Simeon of New Smyrna spoke of the great spiritual suffering that the Ukrainian crisis causes him and called on his brother hierarchs in a letter not to make any hasty decisions, as the bishops of the Greek Church prepare to gather on Saturday to hear and deliberate upon a report from their primate, His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, on the matter. Greek hierarch: We are the same race as Constantinople, we must side with the Patriarchate Greek hierarch: We are the same race as Constantinople, we must side with the Patriarchate Greek hierarch: We are the same race as Constantinople, we must side with the Patriarchate Greek hierarch: We are the same race as Constantinople, we must side with the Patriarchate
Several Moscow Patriarchate hierarchs and clergy went on pilgrimage recently to the Greek Ionian Islands, where they had a chance to meet with the Greek hierarchs of Zakynthos and Dodoni and to discuss current Orthodox events. Greek clerics who concelebrated with, gave letter of support to Met. Onuphry are censured by Greek bishop Greek clerics who concelebrated with, gave letter of support to Met. Onuphry are censured by Greek bishop Greek clerics who concelebrated with, gave letter of support to Met. Onuphry are censured by Greek bishop Greek clerics who concelebrated with, gave letter of support to Met. Onuphry are censured by Greek bishop
On Sunday, September 22, several Greek clerics concelebrated the Divine Liturgy in Kiev with His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine and offered him and all the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church their prayerful support.
Comments
Gary Cox12/17/2019 6:34 am
The issue is not dogmatic? This is about more than Ukraine. When you pretend to be first ABOVE equals that even the apostle Peter didn't claim. Even protestants who believe sola scriptura can read the Bible and see the error in this. Our HOLY ORTHODOX CHURCH is under attack. Pray for our Patriarchs to make the right decisions for themselves and us.
MC12/16/2019 6:49 pm
Joseph Lipper: He is probably talking about the Moscow Patriarch's break in Eucharistic Communion with the EC and others who have accepted the non-canonical actions of the EC--that is, granting autocephaly to a group of unordained schismatics. Other Greek bishops have also asserted that the MP was wrong to break Communion.
Joseph Lipper12/16/2019 5:07 pm
What does he mean by the "non-canonical behavior of the Moscow Patriarchate"?
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