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
DESS: The number of communities joining OCU in 2024 is half of last year’s
Over a year, 232 communities of the UOC changed their jurisdiction.
Scale of internal damage to UOC cathedral in Zaporizhzhia shown online
The video allows viewers to assess the damage endured by the main Orthodox church of the UOC in Zaporizhzhia.
Ex-MP UOC protodeacon Novinsky declared suspicion of high treason
The former MP is accused of "ensuring that a significant part of Ukrainian society, who are believers of the UOC, remain under the direct influence of the leader of the ROC".
St Andrew’s icon survives under the rubble of UOC cathedral in Zaporizhzhia
The icon was painted by nuns of the St Nicholas Monastery in Patras (Greece) and consecrated on the relics of St Andrew the Apostle.
RF missile strike destroys St Andrew's Cathedral of UOC in Zaporizhzhia
The fragments damaged the roof of the building, dome, ceilings, cut windows and disfigured classrooms.
Media shows conditions in which persecuted communities of Volyn have to pray
After their churches were seized, UOC faithful are compelled to pray in poorly equipped facilities.