Head of Phanar: We'll always be the first Church while Russians – the fifth
Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople. Photo: fosfanariou.gr
Constantinople will always be the first Church, while the Russian one – only the fifth. This was stated by Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, who commented on the modern schism in Orthodoxy, Suspilne reports.
According to the head of Phanar, there is no split yet, and if there is, only “our Russian brothers” are to blame for it, who perceived the autocephaly of the OCU as the revenge for their refusal to participate in the Cretan Council of 2016.
“The dream of our Russian brothers is to be the rulers of Orthodoxy,” he said. “But this will never happen, because the canons of the Orthodox Church and the actions of the Church over the centuries have given primacy to Constantinople. Constantinople will always be the first Church in the system of Orthodox Churches, while the Russian Sister Church will be the fifth."
Earlier, Patriarch Bartholomew said that “by God the individual Orthodox Churches, which have not yet been identified and harmonized after the act of the Mother Church on the Ukrainian Autocephaly, would do so, for the glory of God.”
Read also
Dumenko: The enemy has destroyed Ukranian liturgical language for centuries
Epifaniy assured that "imperial invaders" burned Ukrainian liturgical literature.
Vance: A broken culture tends to turn young people into androgynous idiots
U.S. Vice President stated that modern society seeks to erase differences between genders, shaping people "who think the same, talk the same, and act the same."
In Volyn, UOC priests receive gratitude from AFU for volunteering
The clergy noted that they have always been supported by parishioners and communities willing to share their last resources.
Vance: We don't worry about earthly rewards but how we're doing before God
The Vice President of America shared that he is doing his best to follow God’s will.
Vance: Death is a bad thing, but losing your soul is much more terrible
"The fundamental tenant of the Christian faith is that the Son of God became man, He died and then He raised Himself from the dead," the U.S. Vice President reminded Americans.
Expert: The demographic situation is a national catastrophe for Ukraine
Analyst Oleksii Kusch warns that the country's population is shrinking at a catastrophic rate, yet Ukrainians do not see it as a problem.