GOC hierarch: “Ukrainian issue” can be solved only by Pan-Orthodox Council

Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythira and Antikythera. Photo:oukraniko.blogspot.com

On November 16, 2019, the Greek online publication Oukraniko published an appeal from the hierarch of the Greek Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythira and Antikythera, in which he urges believers to pray for the unity of the Church and condemns the pressure of politicians in light of the recognition of the OCU.

The Greek hierarch writes that the unity of the Church “is being shaken after the recognition of the autocephaly of the new Church,” which he considers to be “schismatic, seditious, and tyrannical”.

He condemns the "unbearable pressure exerted by influential political forces on church leaders" of the Local Autocephalous Orthodox Churches, which thus fulfill the "will of Caesar, not that of the Triune God."

This has resulted in "a flagrant violation of the sacred canons, interference with the normal order of our Church and a serious ecclesiastic problem that can only be solved with the help of the Pan-Orthodox Council."

He calls for the restoration of peace, stability and unity of the "martyrdom and the people of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the leadership of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry."

As reported by the UOJ, earlier Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythira and Antikythera and Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus wrote a joint letter of appeal by which they declared their intention to initiate a Pan-Orthodox Council to discuss the “Ukrainian ecclesiastic issue” even without the participation of Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.

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