Сypriot hierarch: Phanar's actions lead to a terrible schism

Metropolitan Nikiforos of Kykkos. A photo: trelogiannis.blogspot.com

Metropolitan Nikiforos of Kykkos and Tylliria of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus believes that the actions of the Patriarchate of Constantinople to grant "autocephaly" to Ukraine lead to a terrible schism, the reports the UOC DECR website.

The hierarch of the Cypriot Church is sure that "the actions of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew ... lead to a terrible schism that threatens the body of world Orthodoxy".

"The unilateral, unauthorized and anti-canonical decision of the Ecumenical Patriarch to grant an autocephalous church structure to Ukrainian schismatic groups, in addition to creating a great ecclesiastical problem and threatening pan-Orthodox unity with a terrible schism, also irrevocably undermines the pan-Orthodox authority of the Ecumenical Patriarchate as a coordinating centre for the Orthodox Patriarchates and autocephalous churches," Vladyka Nikiforos writes.

He emphasizes that "the dissolution of the Eucharistic communion between the two Churches, when it comes to dogmatic reasons or violation of the canons, is not only permitted but also required by the same canons and the age-old church tradition."

“Accordingly, the Orthodox Moscow Patriarchate acted correctly, being guided by the canons (Apostolic Canons 10 and 11, Canon 5 of the I Ecumenical Council, Canon 2 of the Council of Antioch), which decided to break off Eucharistic communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the hope that the reasons that led to the break of communion and the ties between the two Churches in ‘peace and love’ will be restored again with the subsequent restoration of Eucharistic communion between them," the bishop believes.

As reported earlier, Metropolitan Nikiforos of Kykkos said that the majority of Ukrainians are under the omophorion of His Beatitude Onuphry.

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