Hierarchs recognize Ukrainian schismatics out of personal ambition—DECR rep

Moscow, November 18, 2020

Photo: spzh.news Photo: spzh.news     

Those primates and hierarchs from various Local Orthodox Churches who have recognized the schismatic “Orthodox Church of Ukraine” (OCU) unfortunately confused personal ambitions with the good of the Church, Archbishop Leonid of Vladikavkaz and Alan of the Russian Orthodox Church believes.

Abp. Leonid, the Deputy Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), recently spoke about the reasons prompting the recognition of the OCU by several primates on the Tsargrad TV channel.

The Archbishop recalled that in February 2019, the Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus expressed its serious doubts that the illegitimately consecrated hierarchs could serve as the foundation for a new autocephalous Church. Although the situation with the OCU hierarchs did not change in the intervening year and a half, Abp. Chrysostomos decided to recognize and enter into communion with the schismatics anyways, Abp. Leonid emphasized.

The Russian Church is always ready for dialogue, the DECR representative stressed, but those who recognize the OCU do not respond constructively.

“Our opponents don’t explain anything to us, saying, ‘Oh, you know, the Foreign Ministry forced me,’ they dug up some dirt on another one, and the third is taking orders from the State Department,” Abp. Leonid explained.

It’s all a test of strength, the Russian hierarch is sure, “and I don’t doubt for a second that we will pass this test with dignity.”

Last year, after Abp. Chrysostomos of Cyprus declared that he would not commemorate Epiphany Dumenko, the schismatic primate, in the Divine services, and after the Cypriot Holy Synod refused to recognize the OCU and strongly questioned its legitimacy, the Cypriot media began to report on a 2015 scandal involving the Archbishop helping the fugitive Malaysian businessman Jho Low obtain a Cypriot passport. See this November 2019 report from Cyprus Mail, for example.

Concerning Pat. Theodoros of Alexandria, the Patriarchate is heavily dependent upon the Greek Foreign Ministry for funding and diplomatic help, and it is widely believed that Pat. Theodoros recognized the schismatics under severe press from the Greek state and Greek hierarchs within his own Patriarchate.

It is also well known that Pat. Bartholomew created the OCU with the backing of the U.S. State Department. Having met with Pat. Bartholomew in Istanbul just yesterday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke of the Patriarchate of Constantinople as the “leader of the Orthodox world” and one of the U.S.’s “key partners.”

Nevertheless, “we are always ready for dialogue,” Abp. Leonid assured, “but we are not ready for betrayal.”

If the consecrations of the bishops in Ukraine are valid, and recognition of them is lawful, then those who recognize should make their case, Abp. Leonid said, “but they don’t say anything. They say, ‘I decided to do this.’ Then our question is: ‘On what basis did you decide to do this?’”

“The Church isn’t just a circle of interests; it’s a society of believers in Jesus Christ united by the Mysteries of Christ, on the basis of the canons,” the Archbishop stressed, adding that “it is necessary to observe the canons and not confuse personal interests and ambitions with the benefit of the Mother Church.”

In another recent interview, Abp. Leonid also spoke about how hundreds of African clergy have expressed a desire to join the Russian Orthodox Church because of Patriarch Theodoros’ lawless recognition of the Ukrainian schismatics.

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11/18/2020

See also
Cypriot Metropolitan: The Russian Church Was Justified in Breaking Communion with Constantinople Cypriot Metropolitan: The Russian Church Was Justified in Breaking Communion with Constantinople Cypriot Metropolitan: The Russian Church Was Justified in Breaking Communion with Constantinople Cypriot Metropolitan: The Russian Church Was Justified in Breaking Communion with Constantinople
The Conclusions of Metropolitan Nikiforos of Kykkos’ Canonical Study of the Ukrainian Issue
Metropolitan Nikiforos of Kykkos and Tellyria
The witness of Met. Nikiforos and his new book is especially important because it demonstrates that, despite the loud insistences of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Ukrainian scandal is not about Russians rejecting the special role of Constantinople and the Greek people within the Church, but rather, it is a question of fidelity to the Orthodox canons and theology.
Metropolitan Onuphry: Constantinople’s secularism and liberalism is root cause of break in communion Metropolitan Onuphry: Constantinople’s secularism and liberalism is root cause of break in communion Metropolitan Onuphry: Constantinople’s secularism and liberalism is root cause of break in communion Metropolitan Onuphry: Constantinople’s secularism and liberalism is root cause of break in communion
The reason for the current division is that some representatives of Constantinople who are inclined towards free thinking and liberalism “have repeatedly tried to justify and accept laws that disagree with the Holy Gospel, which the secular world actively tries to implement in our lives today,” the Ukrainian primate notes.
Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou: Constantinople recognized schismatics for geopolitical purposes Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou: Constantinople recognized schismatics for geopolitical purposes Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou: Constantinople recognized schismatics for geopolitical purposes Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou: Constantinople recognized schismatics for geopolitical purposes
His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine is, was, and hopefully will be the canonical hierarch of Kiev, His Eminence Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou of the Church of Cyprus said at a recent meeting with parishioners.
Comments
Herman11/18/2020 5:35 pm
Doesn't it have more to do with Freemasonry than "personal ambition"?
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