Expert: The act of Greek Church can lead to “autocephalous parade”
Religious observer Aleksei Smirnov on the air of the program “Right to Faith”. Photo: YouTube
After the decision of the extraordinary Council of Bishops of the Greek Orthodox Church on the “Ukrainian church issue”, a “parade of autocephalies” may follow, religious observer Aleksei Smirnov believes.
“A kind of ‘autocephalous parade’ might follow. The aim of the Patriarchate of Constantinople will be precisely the Local Churches that do not agree with him, do not support his point of view,” Smirnov stressed on the air of “First Cossack”.
According to the religious observer, the Serbian Orthodox Church will be next in the field of view of Constantinople.
“One can be 100% sure that the Serbian Church, which has its jurisdiction in Macedonia and Montenegro, will become the next ‘target’ of Constantinople,” the expert noted. “Moreover, the situation is now more difficult in Montenegro where local authorities are opposed to the SOC. They speak in favor of complete elimination of the jurisdiction of the Serbian Church and want to transfer the property of this Church to Montenegrin schismatics being unrecognized church structures.”
The next aim of Phanar, according to the religious observer, could well be the Antioch Orthodox Church, as evidenced by the visit of US diplomats to the hierarch of this Church, Metropolitan Elijah of Beirut.
“The next target could be the Church of Antioch. The matter is that the jurisdiction of the Church of Antioch also extends to Lebanon. And the fact that American diplomats also visited the Lebanese metropolitan is not a coincidence either,” the expert shared with the audience. “There may be a separation along this line: Lebanon is an independent state so why not give autocephaly to the local church structure.”
Smirnov did not rule out the likelihood that the Patriarch of Constantinople would pay close attention to the Georgian Orthodox Church, because the clergy of the "Holy Metropolis of Abkhazia" had already appealed to Patriarch Bartholomew with a request to resolve the issue of their canonical status.
“This is a very dangerous precedent. What happened in Ukraine and even earlier in Estonia can affect the entire Orthodox Church,” concluded the religious observer.
Recall, on October 4, 2019, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with the “Primate” of the non-canonical Macedonian Orthodox Church “Archbishop” Stefan Veljanovski of Ohrid and Macedonia.
Read also
SBU told Phanar many UOC bishops would join OCU in 2018, report says
According to a Phanar representative’s account, Ukrainian security services told the Constantinople delegation that many UOC representatives were prepared to attend the OCU’s “Unification Council.” In the end, only two did.
Catholic cardinal visits Ukrainian POWs during trip to Russia
During three days of consultations in Moscow, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi discussed prospects for ending the war in Ukraine.
Ukrainians help restore Serbian Orthodox church in Paris
Orthodox Ukrainians have become regular parishioners of St. Sava Church in Paris and have taken part in its restoration.
Bulgarian Church clergy and laity oppose Phanar head’s visit
More than 2,000 clergy and laity have called for the Ecumenical Patriarch’s visit to be canceled, citing disagreement with his actions and concerns that the visit could legitimize schism.
Unknown intruders break down doors at two UOC churches in Sloviansk
Archbishop Paisiy said OCU activists are suspected of breaking into the churches in Sloviansk, and police have launched an investigation.
Sviatohirsk Lavra prays for murdered monk on 40th day after death
The brethren of the Sviatohirsk Lavra held a memorial service for murdered Monk Varsonofiy, calling on the faithful to pray for the newly departed monk.