UOC Spokesman: There is a mistake in Phanar’s decision on Ukraine

Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople

At the heart of the Phanar’s decision on the Ukrainian issue lies a mistake. This was said on October 22 by Protopriest Nikolai Danilevich, deputy head of the UOC DECR when commenting to the UOJ on the interview of Bishop Macarius, an assistant to patriarch Bartholomew.

Citing the words of Bishop Macarius that Phanar did not impose sanctions on the Churches of Greece and Bulgaria when they wanted to have autocephaly, Father Nikolai noted that these situations are significantly different from the ecclesiastic problem in Ukraine.

“There was no split in Greece, Bulgaria, and other Churches, when the Churches wanted autocephaly, they were one,” the deputy head of the UOC DECR explained. “These were, in fact, unrecognized autocephalous structures, so there was no point imposing anathema on them. In Ukraine, Filaret and the UAOC arose as a result of the split, the Ukrainian autocephaly being granted to the schismatics. That is the main difference in the situation with the obtaining of autocephaly by the Balkan Churches and the situation in Ukraine.”

Father Nikolai stressed that this mistake had formed the basis of the decision made in Constantinople.

Earlier, the UOC Chancellor, Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich), stated that the granting of the Tomos to dissenters is similar to the so-called “LNR” and “DNR” having been declared a legitimate state, which Ukraine will have to join.”

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