UOC hierarch: Phanar’d better have dialogue with Orthodox, not Catholics

Bishop Victor (Kotsaba). Photo: Facebook page of the bishop

Patriarch Bartholomew's dialogue with Roman Catholics while ignoring communication with his Orthodox brethren, as well as his environmental concernment instead of trying to understand the problems of living people, can play a dirty trick on the head of Phanar, said Bishop Victor of Baryshivka to the Greek portal news-politics.com.

The hierarch of the UOC believes that the consequences of such a position of the head of the Patriarchate of Constantinople may lead to the fact that he will go down in history as a man who tore the chiton of Christ. "Of course, I wish Patriarch Bartholomew could not only be environmentally conscious, but also aware of the problems of living people," Bishop Victor said in an interview. “Not less do I wish Patriarch Bartholomew could engage in dialogue not only with Catholics, but also with his Orthodox brothers first and foremost. Otherwise he may go down in history not as the ‘Green Patriarch’ but as the man who tore the chiton of Christ.”

As reported by the UOJ, the hierarch of the UOC explained why the head of Phanar does not want to meet with the laity of the UOC.

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