Hierarch of Constantinople structure spotted at Epiphany-led service
Bishop Isaiah (Slaninka) of Sumperk at the divine service of the OCU. Photo: Facebook
On November 20, 2019, Isaiah (Slaninka), Bishop of Sumperk of the Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, who comes from the structure of Costantinople in the Czech Republic, participated in the worship in St. Michael’s Monastery of Kiev alongside Epiphany Dumenko and the “hierarchy” of the OCU.
A photo from the service was posted on Facebook by Orthodox blogger Alexander Voznesensky. As the UOJ learned from its sources, Bishop Isaiah is actually staying in Kiev and it is he who is captured in the photo.
Isaiah (Slaninka) was ordained bishop in 2015 at the initiative of the hierarchs of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, Metropolitan Emmanuel (Adamakis) of Gaul and Arseny (Kardamakis) of Austria with the goal of creating an “alternative synod” of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia. His consecration was not recognized by the head of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, Metropolitan Rostislav (Gont).
In 2016, Phanar and the Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia reached a compromise on the recognition of the consecration of Isaiah (Slavinka).
In August 2019, Phanar initiated the creation of a parallel structure in the Czech Republic. At the constituent assembly, the legal entity “Association: Holy Patriarchal Stavropegial Monastery of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary” was created and adopted its statute. Among the founders are Metropolitan of Austria Arseny (Kardamakis) (Patriarchate of Constantinople) and Bishop of Sumperk Isaiah (Slaninka).
According to the statute, the Association is subordinate to the Patriarchate of Constantinople and extends its activities to all Orthodox citizens living in the Czech Republic.
Recall that in Latvia, in the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church, on October 24, 2019, the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Latvia registered the “Latvian Orthodox Autonomous Church under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople”.
Earlier, Bojan Bojović, a member of the Montenegrin schismatic structure, served with the OCU in St. Michael's Cathedral.
Read also
"KyivPride" organizers announced dates for holding LGBT march in capital
Activists plan to hold mass events in June 2026.
Monastic tonsures performed at Kyiv Theological Academy
The Rector of the Kyiv Theological Schools, Archbishop Sylvester, tonsured four students of the academy and seminary into monasticism.
No language law violations found at Holosiiv Monastery school
The inspection found no evidence of Russian-language instruction in the school that operated on the grounds of the Holosiiv Monastery.
Czech authorities intend to seize three largest churches from Church, source
In Prague, preparations have begun to terminate lease agreements concluded with Orthodox church communities.
Rome's basilica bust re-attributed to Michelangelo
A marble bust that has stood for centuries in one of Rome’s basilicas has been re-attributed to Michelangelo after nearly 200 years in obscurity.