Tamassos, Cyprus, August 8, 2022
Photo: romfea.gr
On July 25, His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Tamassos of the Church of Cyprus visited Patriarch Bartholomew in Constantinople.
Given Met. Isaiah’s strong stance against Constantinople’s actions in Ukraine, in creating the schismatic “Orthodox Church of Ukraine,” and against its self-understanding as having a primacy of power, his visit led to much speculation in the Orthodox media.
The Cypriot hierarch then spoke about the visit in an interview with the Greek outlet Philenews on Saturday. He noticeably speaks much less categorically on the Ukrainian issue than he has in the past, stating no clear stance.
Met. Isaiah reiterates that despite their disagreement on the Ukrainian question, he has always emphasized his “absolute respect and love for the martyric Patriarchate of Constantinople.”
“The Ecumenical Patriarchate is, without a doubt, the First Throne of Orthodoxy,” tasked with facing the crises that have arisen in recent times, he adds.
In our modern conditions, where an anti-Christian totalitarianism reigns, Orthodox Christians must adhere to our principles, the Cypriot hierarch states. At the same time, “we shouldn’t lock ourselves into airtight regulations. Moderation must prevail everywhere, but also the struggle for the truths of the faith and the rule of law.”
Accordingly, the Church applies akrivia or economia where and when necessary, Met. Isaiah states.
Concerning the Cypriot Synod’s initial neutral stance on the question of the Ukrainian schismatics, Met. Isaiah reflects that it “was a result of our sincere attitude and concern for the prevalence of peace in the bosom of Orthodoxy. This attitude, with the passage of time, may have received different interpretations and comments. Ultimately, however, it demonstrated that geopolitical developments should not affect the unity of our Churches. I confirmed this common concern for pan-Orthodox unity with particular satisfaction during my visit to the Phanar.”
Tasked by the Church of Cyprus with developing relations with the Russian Church, Met. Isaiah has visited Ukraine dozens of times, he states, and thus “experiences the tragedy of the war in Ukraine first-hand.” He has been involved with the refugee crisis in both Cyprus and Poland.
All of these concerns “have influenced me to have more interest, knowledge and concern for the subject in question,” Met. Isaiah says. “My love and respect for the Slavic Orthodox tradition and life, but also the recognition of the martyrdom of all Slavic Orthodox, which sanctified the Orthodox Church with martyrs and saints, is non-negotiable.”
Asked why he recently visited Constantinople, the Cypriot hierarch responds that it was “out of respect for His All-Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch… This visit was yet another confirmation of the loving relations between us… I sincerely assured him, that I would always be at his disposal both as a man and as a bishop.”
And asked if the Metropolitan and his primate Archbishop Chrysostomos, with whom he also recently met, have resolved their differences, Met. Isaiah said: “It is my belief that any disagreements should be treated as creative experiences, for better communication and more collective decision-making.”
“My respect and appreciation for him, as well as the institution he represents, is a given. What is said on a personal level, the whole communication, seeing each other’s eyes, leaves a different flavor, compared to writing or preaching from a pulpit. For me, this communication with His Beatitude was necessary, in order to calmly and spiritually continue my work,” he reflects.
Regarding the Ukrainian issue, Pat. Bartholomew “and his expert collaborators” explained the Patriarchate’s stance in detail, with canonical and historical theses, “which we will study very thoroughly,” Met. Isaiah continues.
A “brilliant academic study” on the canonicity of the ordinations of the “bishops” of the “Orthodox Church of Ukraine” was also recently produced by the Constantinople Holy Synod, which “will clarify and shed a lot of light on this thorny issue, which was also the main cause of our reservations, as well as that of many other bishops in Orthodoxy,” Met. Isaiah added.
Regarding his stance on the Cypriot Synodal decisions, Met. Isaiah stated: “I make it clear that obedience to them is a commitment for every member of our Holy Synod, who respects our Synodal system. I can’t give you a clearer answer. Obedience to the Holy Synod.”
Recall that despite their initial reservations about recognizing the Ukrainian schismatics, the majority of the Cypriot Synodal hierarchs later voted not to protest the Abp. Chrysostomos’ unilateral recognition of them.
At the same time, Met. Isaiah can refrain from concelebrating with the Cypriot primate because it hasn’t been mandated by the Synod itself. “The issue of obedience to the decisions of the Holy Synod isn’t related to whether a bishop concelebrates with another bishop, but to the fact of whether he recognizes and commemorates his primate, as president of the Holy Synod, and whether he participates regularly in its sessions, abiding by its decisions.”
“My reasons for abstaining [from concelebrations] had to do with the way decisions and procedures were made. I clarified this issue with His All-Holiness and, now, with the data we have today, this issue is considered closed for me,” Met. Isaiah said, leaving it unclear whether or not he has changed his stance.
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