ROCOR hierarch: Current schism risks becoming more serious than 1054 schism

Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and Germany. Photo: pravlife.org

On February 8, 2020, the bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and Germany explained in an interview with the “Pravife” resource that the policy of the Patriarchate of Constantinople causes confusion and schism in Ecumenical Orthodoxy.

Commenting on the consistency of the policy of the Patriarchate of Constantinople aimed at dividing world Orthodoxy, the hierarch emphasized: “These are definitely systemic actions. The ROCOR has never had illusions regarding Constantinople. We have long said that their views are largely non-canonical, but we were not listened to. And today, the fullness of the Russian Orthodox Church has recognized that the non-fraternal actions of Constantinople only sow hostility and bring about division.

For many years, the negative actions of the Phanar have been hushed up, their tricks tolerated. But today it makes no sense to hide that the policy of Constantinople is a policy of separation. They bring confusion and schism into Ecumenical Orthodoxy.”

Vladyka explained: “First, the Greeks unilaterally made corrections to the calendar at the beginning of the last century. And since then we have not celebrated our church feasts with them. Only a few times a year, at Great Lent and Easter, we have some changing dates meeting. The recognition of the new pseudo-church structure in Ukraine and the granting by the Patriarch of Constantinople of the Tomos of its autonomy is a step leading to suffering and disagreement. And this situation creates a problem for many years.”

“Today it can be stated that there is a huge difference and distance between the points of view of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and all other Orthodox Local Churches, which have never recognized the Phanar’s claims to its exclusivity among other Churches. The Catholic and Apostolic Church has gone through much oppression and persecution and withstood it because it adhered to the traditional Orthodox dialogically conciliar norms and canons. The Church of Christ should not serve as a tool in geopolitical wars. In all difficult and crisis situations, it should conduct an open intra-church dialogue.

I think the current schism risks becoming more serious than the 1054 schism. Now I don’t see any specific way out of this situation, I’m afraid that nothing can be fixed, but we will do everything that depends on us to maintain the purity of the Orthodox teaching,” concluded the ROCOR bishop.

We recall that on December 10, 2019, Metropolitan Hilarion of East America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, elevated the Archbishop of Berlin and Germany to the rank of metropolitan. For the first time since the ROC-ROCOR reunification, the ROCOR bishop was elevated to the rank of metropolitan for special services, and not in connection with his appointment as head of the Metropolitan District.

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