US archimandrite: Phanar will not grant Tomos on autocephaly to schismatics

Archimandrite Alexander (Cutler)

US-born Archimandrite Alexander (Cutler), who moved to Ukraine, believes that Phanar will not grant the Tomos on autocephaly to schismatics. The priest said this in a talk with the UOJ, following his recent visit to Greece.

"I do not know for sure, what he (Patriarch Bartholomew – Ed.) will finally give, but I think he will absolutely not grant the Tomos on autocephaly in Ukraine to the schismatics."

Archimandrite said that not long ago he visited Greece and faced false information there.

"We heard there: now, the Tomos is already written. But Patriarch Bartholomew said that if anyone says that the Tomos is already written, it will be against the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The Tomos is not written and will never be. He does not want to touch the autonomous Church of Ukraine, but he wants to find out how we can heal this wound of schism."

According to Father Alexander, the schism in Ukraine is an absolute tragedy.

"As long as we argue with each other, Protestants and other sects from America are working here. This is a tragedy, and I wish there was no schism."

In mid-April, Poroshenko turned to Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople with a request to grant the Tomos on autocephaly to the Church in Ukraine and announced the creation of the Single Local Church. The Verkhovna Rada supported the President’s appeal.

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