Head of Phanar assures there is no schism in Orthodox Church

Patriarch Bartholomew. Photo: tovima

On January 3, 2021, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, in an interview with the Greek newspaper Vima tis Kyriakis, said that there is no schism in the Orthodox Church, the Orthodox Times website reports.

The head of Phanar, answering the question about granting "autocephaly" to the OCU, stressed that "there is no schism within Orthodoxy," and he "has no right to take a step back."

The Patriarch of Constantinople believes that the position of the Russian Orthodox Church is "a different view", and the suspension of communion with Phanar and the other Orthodox Churches that have recognized the OCU was "a wrong action."

“I can’t let the Orthodox ecclesiology change on the altar of lesser interests. I have no right to take a step back. The word of truth is ‘sharper than any knife.’ It is testified by history, the sources, the documents, the facts. It is altered by money, intimidation, propaganda and pipe dreams,” said the head of Phanar.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that the Serbian Patriarch Irinej asked the head of Phanar not to cause split.

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