UOC Hierarch: Phanar’s erroneous ecclesiology is evident to Orthodox world

Archbishop Theodosius (Snigirev) of Boyarka. Photo: vicariate.church.ua

On March 21, 2020, Archbishop Theodosius (Snigirev) of Boyarka, vicar of the Kiev Metropolis, commented on the erroneous ecclesiology of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and explained why it is evident to the plentitude of the Orthodox world in an interview with 1Kozak.

Commenting on the latest decisions of the Holy Synod of the UOC, which called the ecclesiology of the Patriarchate of Constantinople to be wrong and emphasized the urgent need to resolve the Ukrainian church issue, the hierarch noted that, unlike the Catholic Church, “the ecclesiology of Orthodoxy is the ecclesiology of Conciliarity, i.e. the conciliar administration of the Church”: “Each Church is represented at inter-Orthodox meetings by its Patriarch, a member of the Synod.”

“The Patriarch of Constantinople, after the fall of Rome from the fullness of the Orthodox world, was perceived all these centuries as the first among equals – first in honor among equal patriarchs. He was never ascribed the status as a leader, ruler of the Orthodox world. Nevertheless, the Patriarch of Constantinople does appropriate such functions, at least on Phanar’s backstage,” said Archbishop Theodosius.

According to him, the recognition of the OCU by Phanar is one of the rotten fruits of such ecclesiology.

“The OCU is just a by-product, a breakaway a group which, in the general opinion of the Orthodox world, does not have apostolic succession in its ordinations and consecrations. However, it was suddenly recognized by Constantinople single-handedly and autocratically; it was recognized to have an apostolic succession, therefore these papal claims and the ecclesiological fallacy of the teachings of the Patriarchate of Constantinople have never been more apparent,” he concluded.

As reported by the UOJ, previously Bishop Irinej (Bulovic) of Bačka of the Serbian Orthodox Church stated that the Serbian Church does not recognize the "special" rights of the Patriarchate of Constantinople that go beyond the established church canons.

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