UOC: Head of Phanar is elected only by his Church, so is he "ecumenical"?

Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople. Photo: patriarchate.org

The Chancellor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich) of Boryspil and Brovary, in a commentary for the "Orthodox Life" portal noted that he considers literal understanding of Patriarch Bartholomew's title "Ecumenical" with the corresponding claims unreasonable.

The Metropolitan reminded that the head of Phanar is not elected by representatives of all of the Local Churches, but only a few bishops of one Church in the territory of Turkey.

But at the same time, he allows himself to actively interfere in the affairs of the UOC, which elected His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry as its Primate, rather than Pat. Bartholomew.

"Our multimillion flock and we, the hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, are entitled to ask: what are these claims based on? In 2014, the episcopate of our Church at the Council of Bishops elected our Primate – His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry. This is why he is our Vladyka and Father to our hierarchy, clergy and laity. It is so simple and clear,” considers the UOC Chancellor. Then it is quite natural to wonder why the Patriarch, elected by only several bishops of another Church in the territory of Turkey (whose government, by the way, does not call him anything other than 'the Greek Patriarch of Istanbul'), should be our Vladyka and Father?"

As the UOJ reported, Metropolitan Anthony said that Phanar, which promotes the OCU, is a tool of great geopolitics.

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