Lawyer: Recognition of OCU may lead to a national crisis in Greece

Spyros V. Bazinas, Law Officer, Chief Executive of the UN Legal Service. Photo: pemptousia.gr

Spyros V. Bazinas, Law Officer, Chief Executive of the UN Legal Service, believes that the ecclesiastic crisis caused by the recognition of Ukrainian schismatics by the Greek Church can lead to a national crisis.

In particular, in his article published on the “Romfea” website, Spyros V. Bazinas writes, “… the ecclesiastical crisis (schism) due to the Ukrainian issue can lead to a national crisis.”

According to him, "this national crisis, if we do not pay attention to it, can lead to the loss of half of the Aegean Sea and the territories attributed to us in the Eastern Mediterranean, a loss that I described as the new 1922".

He notes that "Greece, with its humiliating loss of sovereign rights at sea, cannot survive politically, economically, culturally and psychologically".

Bazinas also emphasized that the Tomos granted by the Constantinople Patriarchate to the Ukrainian schismatics “did not achieve the intended result, the union of the Church of Ukraine. On the contrary, the split in Ukraine has only worsened”.

Moreover, Bazinas notes, “A schism has been created in Orthodoxy, which will have adverse consequences for all Orthodox countries."

He believes that the only way out of the situation is dialogue and “a Pan-Orthodox, that is, Ecumenical, Synod.” 

Spyros Bazinas concluded, “After proper preparation, the Assembly can resolve many issues, perhaps all, if the Holy Spirit, the spirit of God's peace, reigns.”

In his view, “the proposed session for immediate convocation may focus on addressing the schism in Ukraine or on other issues (e.g. the Church of Skopje, the Church of Montenegro, etc.).

As reported earlier, a Greek lawyer proposed to give the western part of Ukraine to the Phanar.

 

Read also

Lavra reserve head estimates damage to Dormition Cathedral at €15 million

Maksym Ostapenko said restoring the Dormition Cathedral would take at least a couple of years and require major funding.

DESS official says state should not govern the Church

A DESS official called for cooperation between the state and the Church for the benefit of citizens.

Poltava court upholds mobilization of Protestant pastor

A court in the Poltava region ruled that a prior criminal conviction and religious beliefs do not exempt a person from military service.

Ostapenko: Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra would not exist without Soviet-era reserve

The reserve director spoke about the Soviet museum’s role in saving the monastery, while stressing the need to rethink its history.

Metropolitan Anthony criticizes DESS order on Boryspil Eparchy

The UOC chancellor rejected officials’ findings, pointing to procedural violations in the DESS review.

Two more parishes in Sloviansk reregistered under OCU

The organizer behind the transfer of UOC communities in Sloviansk said the reregistration of churches would continue.