Head of UOC-KP: Papal ambitions of Bartholomew are embedded in Tomos

Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople. Photo: 24tv.ua

The head of the UOC-KP, “patriarch” Filaret Denisenko, in his interview with the publication “Political News of Ukraine” stated that papal ambitions of Patriarch of Bartholomew of Constantinople were laid in the Tomos.

Filaret Denisenko believes that the Orthodox Churches, except for Greece and Alexandria, “do not recognize this Tomos not because it was granted to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) – Ed.) but because it enshrines the papal ambitions of the Ecumenical Patriarch.”

According to him, "the Patriarch of Constantinople seeks to have not only the primacy of honor but more power in the Orthodox world than other patriarchs."

That is why, Filaret emphasized, the head of Phanar "at the Cretan Council stuck to the position that only the Ecumenical Patriarch can convene councils."

At the same time, Filaret noted that other patriarchs could also convene councils; however, Patriarch Bartholomew "wrote that this is only his prerogative and he alone presides at the Pan-Orthodox Council."

The head of the UOC-KP believes that "these tendencies, which were laid down in the Tomos, are rejected by other Orthodox Churches."

Moreover, Denisenko is sure that “because of the ambitions of Patriarch Bartholomew to have power over Churches, there is no recognition of the OCU”, because “this repulses the Local Churches: once they recognize the Ukrainian Tomos, they must recognize its provisions, in particular, the power of the Ecumenical Patriarch over others."

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that, according to Filaret Denisenko, the head of Phanar aspires to become an Orthodox pope.

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