Phanar cleric: An autonomous Church of Constantinople may appear in Ukraine

Deacon of the Western European Exarchate of the Patriarchate of Constantinople Alexander Zanemonets

Instead of autocephaly in Ukraine, an autonomous Church of the Patriarchate of Constantinople may appear. This assumption was voiced by the deacon of the Western European Exarchate of the Constantinople Church, Alexander Zanemonets, in an article published on September 20 by the Carnegie Center.

According to him, the issue of granting autocephaly – full church independence – is painful and complicated.

"Different Churches have different views on this matter," Phanar representative said. "To grant autocephaly to only one-third of Orthodox Ukrainians is illogical. It turns out that the majority will still remain with the Moscow Patriarchate."

The cleric suggests that Constantinople can agree to proclaim autonomy in Ukraine.

"There is already an autonomous Church of the Moscow Patriarchate," Father Alexander said. "Soon, there will probably be an autonomous Church of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Such a situation has been preserved in small Estonia since the mid-1990s. The Moscow Patriarch has already threatened to break with Constantinople in case Ukrainian autocephaly is proclaimed. It can be assumed that in the event of the declaration of autonomy, the break will not occur."

According to Father Alexander, no one knows what the canonical solution to the question of the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Church "according to the current all-Orthodox procedure" is.

"Probably, this will become the topic of the next Pan-Orthodox Council, which will be convened after Ukraine has two autonomous churches of two completely legitimate, canonical patriarchates," the clergyman of the Constantinople Church suggested.

Previously, journalist Viacheslav Pikhovshek said that Phanar wants to create a subordinate church in Ukraine, not autocephaly.

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