Phanar: OCU non-recognition led to conflict of Orthodox denominations in US

Archbishop Elpidophoros, head of the Phanar Archdiocese of the USA. Photo: a screenshot of the YouTube channel of the Assembly of COB of the USA

The lack of recognition of the OCU led by Epiphanios Dumenko continues to be a source of conflicts and disagreements among Orthodox denominations in the USA, said Archbishop Elpidophoros, whose address was published by the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States.

"We know that there are differences, even fault lines, in our worldwide Orthodox Church; perhaps none so bitter and distressing as those that have emerged around the war against Ukraine. The lack of recognition of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine under Metropolitan Epiphanios by the jurisdictions in this room, except those of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, continues to be a source of conflict and disagreement," he said.

The archbishop also noted that the fact that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church broke off relations with the Moscow Patriarchate also creates "great dissonance": "The current and rather amorphous status of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under Metropolitan Onufry, now that his autonomous Synod has severed formal relations with the Moscow Patriarchate, creates even more dissonance.”

As reported, Patriarch Bartholomew said that because of the war in Ukraine, all Churches should recognise the OCU.

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