Pat. Bartholomew: Sooner or later, the ROC will have to accept our decision

Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew yesterday sent a clear message to Russia vis-à-vis the Ukraine issue, stating that Constantinople has no intention whatsoever of giving in to pressure.

While addressing an audience at an event in Istanbul celebrating the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Feriköy Greek community, His All-Holiness made it clear that his privileges are absolutely legitimate, and therefore the Russian Orthodox Church will have to comply with the decisions on Ukraine.

“Whether our Russian brothers like it or not, soon enough they will get behind the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s solution, as they will have no other choice,” the site Ortodoxia.info cites the words of the Primate of the Constantinople Church.

Patriarch Bartholomew said that he was well aware of the Russian side’s efforts in funding the writing of articles and creating ‘black’ propaganda in order to strike back at the Ecumenical Patriarchate, adding: “God gave us two ears to hear from all sides.”

Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East and Patriarch Irinej of Serbia called upon Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople to restore “fraternal dialogue” with the Russian Orthodox Church to resolve the conflict caused by the Ukrainian church issue.

Read also

Sand for construction of Yermak’s residence brought from cemetery, MP says

MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak said that sand illegally removed from a cemetery in Ukrainka was used in the construction of the elite Dynasty cooperative in Kozyn.

Italian court recognizes family with three parents as legal

In Bari, the appellate court ordered authorities to register an adoption according to which a child is listed as having two "fathers" and one mother.

Archaeologists discover biblical Bethsaida on shore of Sea of Galilee

Researchers have discovered a first-century residential house beneath the apse of a Byzantine church and a mosaic inscription mentioning the Apostle Peter.

Israeli soldiers receive jail terms for mocking statue of the Virgin Mary

Those involved in the act of sacrilege in the village of Debel will spend several weeks behind bars for desecrating a statue of the Mother of God.

Serbian Church officially receives back land of 15th-century monastery

An agreement was signed in Belgrade transferring the territory of the ancient Vojlovica Monastery to the Banat Eparchy.

Pat Daniel comments on conflict between Phanar bishop and community in Turkey

The Bulgarian Primate believes that the hierarch of the Constantinople Patriarchate should not have forced the Bulgarian community in Edirne to serve in Greek.