Tirana, Albania, March 25, 2024
Photo: Romfea
On March 17, the Greek outlet Romfea published two letters that His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Albania wrote in response to letters from Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria concerning the Russian Orthodox Church’s African Exarchate’s activity on the canonical territory of the Patriarchate of Alexandria.
The first letter is from more than a year ago, February 7, 2023, but the second letter is new, from March 14 of this year.
As he has in previous communications, the Albanian primate attempts to take a mediating stance, offering both support and criticism as necessary. For example, Abp. Anastasios has consistently opposed Constantinople’s interference in Ukrainian ecclesiastical affairs, culminating in the creation and granting of “autocephaly” to the schismatic “Orthodox Church of Ukraine,” but he has also informed His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow that he does not support the Russian Synod’s decision to break communion with Constantinople.
Thus, in his February 2023 letter to Pat. Theodoros, His Beatitude states plainly:
The incursion of the Patriarchate of Moscow into Africa was clearly an unacceptable anti-canonical action, undermining the unity and the missionary work of the Orthodox Church. What you describe in detail confirms that a clear schism is unfolding within Orthodoxy.
But at the same time, he tells Pat. Theodoros:
Our long ecclesiastical experience and theological engagement confirm that the tactic of reprisals, however justified it may seem, does not solve problems; instead, the prolongation of the conflict exacerbates the wounds.
What is needed is a therapeutic treatment of reconciliation and resolution, Abp. Anastasios believes.
And as he has done repeatedly since 2018, he again calls for a pan-Orthodox Synod to address the issues in Ukraine and Africa.
His letter from March of this year repeats the same points:
We clearly do not agree with the power demonstration on the part of the Patriarchate of Moscow, especially in the sensitive area of mission in Africa. We clearly deem such methods unacceptable and condemnable.
And:
Equally, we do not agree with the adoption of a similar mentality and methods of reaction—with the depositions of hierarchs and the creation of a climate of tension among the Orthodox Churches in the media.
On February 16 of this year, the Alexandrian Synod ruled to defrock His Grace Bishop Konstantin of Zaraisk, the Russian Church’s second African Exarch. The Synod had already ruled to defrock the first Exarch, Metropolitan Leonid of Klin in November 2022, in addition to two Russian priests already in February 2022.
But such unilateral actions offer nothing to Church unity, the Archbishop believes:
The problems that have arisen in recent years, due to the cessation of Eucharistic communion between Orthodox Patriarchates, cannot be resolved through unilateral decisions and announcements.
And he again calls for a pan-Orthodox Synod.
Abp. Anastasios has also personally reached out to persecuted hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, assuring them of his prayerful support.
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