No one, except Phanar, will recognize a new church structure – UOC hierarch

Metropolitan Anthony of Borispol and Brovary, the Chancellor of the UOC

No Church, except Constantinople, will recognize the new church structure in Ukraine, said Metropolitan Anthony of Borispol and Brovary in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.

According to him, the activities to create an autocephalous church in Ukraine are anticanonical, and this position is shared by other Local Churches.

"I would not like to run ahead, but I have a reason to believe that no Church, except Constantinople, will recognize (the new Ukrainian Church – Ed.)," said Metropolitan Anthony.

According to the hierarch, the UOC has already received calls from other Orthodox Churches.

"The first hierarchs themselves are interested in the situation," said Metropolitan Anthony. "If it comes to this, if something happens that cannot take place according to the truth of God and the church canons, then there will really be official appeals. But I emphasize: Local Churches know for sure from the first hands what is going on here."

According to Metropolitan Anthony, the question of Ukrainian autocephaly is relevant for all Local Churches, because if the legalization of the schism really takes place, this will be a problem for every Local Church, because many of them have some kind of their own schisms.

"The revision of the boundaries of the Local Churches is a very dangerous process. Now, these boundaries have settled, but some regions once were in other Churches. Then any Patriarch can say: if you have already questioned the reality that has now taken shape, then why cannot I do the same with regard to some area that belonged to my patriarchate 500 years ago and needs to be returned? This can lead to absolute chaos in the entire Orthodox world," concluded Metropolitan Anthony.

Earlier, the Holy Synod of the Polish Orthodox Church has supported the UOC. The Polish Orthodox Church expressed its disagreement with the church situation in Ukraine when politicians help the schismatics get autocephaly.

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