UOC Chancellor: A distorted and warped copy of Orthodoxy is imposed on us

Chancellor of the UOC Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich). Photo: vesti.ua

Before our eyes, a deficient and harmful copy of World Orthodoxy is being created, said Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich) of Boryspil and Brovary, Chancellor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, in an interview with Vesti.ua.

According to the Metropolitan, pan-Orthodox "unity as an immutable fact no longer exists" and "now, before our eyes, a deficient and harmful copy of World Orthodoxy is being created."

“In this parallel system, everything is distorted and butchered,” he explained. "In particular, legalization of schismatics, concelebration with persons who do not have a valid ordination, and trampling on the conciliar format of church government are considered normal things."

The UOC Chancellor expanded that the current crisis in World Orthodoxy should hence be discussed not as some kind of confrontation between the “Greek” and “Slavic” worlds or a battle for administrative church borders – “everything is much more complicated and grave”.

“In fact, a big schism is taking place, which affects more and more Local Churches. That is why the essence of the current crisis can be reduced to the struggle of those who want to create their own version of Orthodoxy, which is convenient and calibrated to their own interests, with those who wish to remain faithful to Orthodoxy,” Metropolitan Anthony emphasized.

We will remind, earlier the UOC Chancellor said that pan-Orthodox unity was destroyed because of Patriarch Bartholomew’s lust for power.

Read also