Russian Primate is sure Phanar recognized OCU under outside pressure

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus. Photo: Ria News

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus, is convinced that the Patriarch of Constantinople recognized the OCU under pressure from powerful political forces from outside. He said this in a traditional Christmas interview, the text of which was published on the Patriarchia.ru website on January 7, 2021.

“Phanar did not make a mistake but committed a crime, I say this with bitterness,” said Patriarch Kirill. “From someone else's thoughts and from someone else's words, the Patriarch of Constantinople did what he did. It is no coincidence that I emphasize ‘from someone else’s', because I have information that Patriarch Bartholomew was under pressure from a powerful political force associated with one of the superpowers."

He recalled that the Phanar's position in Turkey is "very difficult, difficult".

“We always pray for the Patriarch of Constantinople, realizing that it is not easy for him to carry out his patriarchal ministry,” added the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church. “But, nevertheless, at some point – I don't want to teach my fellow brother anything – but at some point, maybe, one needs to have fortitude to say no even to the most powerful forces. I think that Patriarch Bartholomew failed to do it and got involved in the conflict."

The logic of those who stood behind the head of Phanar and instigated the conflict between the Orthodox Churches was, in the opinion of Patriarch Kirill, to "tear Russia, Orthodox Russia from the Orthodox brothers and sisters in the Mediterranean and the Middle East."

“Because, in the opinion of these strategists, Orthodoxy has played and is playing too much of a role in the formation of a spiritual, cultural community, so without breaking Orthodox ties, it was impossible to destroy this spiritual community by some external factors. Therefore, the plan is simple: to tear the Russian Church away from the Orthodox in Greece, the Arab world, and the Middle East, so that Orthodoxy becomes weaker,” explained the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church and added that attempts of this kind would continue in the future.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that Patriarch Kirill called on the Primate of the Church of Cyprus to reconsider the recognition of the OCU.

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