Expert about "unification" by Tomos: Bartholomew is not stupid but crafty

Mikhail Pogrebinsky. Photo: vesti.ua

Patriarch Bartholomew does not give the impression of a stupid person, which means that he is crafty. Political scientist, founder and director of the Kyiv Centre for Political Research and Conflictology Mikhail Pogrebinsky said this in a comment to the UOJ following the Phanar head’s visit to Ukraine.

In his opinion, the Patriarch of Constantinople knows very well that the Tomos granted by him did not unite but separated the Ukrainians, and any of his statements about the contrary are a lie.

“Did they not tell him in advance that the UOC has many times more believers who will never recognize it? He knew all this. But he fulfills his role, which is prescribed to him by the masters from overseas. Of course, the Tomos separates, and he understands this. But he is a crafty person, in Ukrainian – "a liar". And such a person cannot be an example of religious service. The person is brazenly lying, and behaves brazenly too: this is not your territory, you cannot perform at the Sophia. But he went there,” the expert emphasized.

It is good that Vladimir Zelenskyy did not invite the patriarch to an official event with the participation of representatives of different confessions on the territory of the St. Sophia of Kyiv – this was the condition and demand of the UOC, however, the political expert believes, the authorities will continue to try to put pressure on the Church.

“Whether they will encourage the seizure of temples and monasteries – I do not expect this. Now the situation in the world is changing, one way or another Zelensky comes to the conclusion that the West will not help him, that all this is only in words, and if this is so, then one must somehow behave with restraint," resumed Mikhail Pogrebinsky.

As reported, while thousands of UOC believers were trying to get a meeting with the head of the Phanar and tell him what the Tomos granted by him actually brought to Ukraine, Patriarch Bartholomew said that the Ukrainians are now united since they are “symbolically anointed by our Church”.

Read also