Exarch of Africa: Russian Church is not engaged in expansion
Metropolitan Leonid spoke about the tasks of the African Exarchate. Photo: pravkuban.ru
The Russian Orthodox Church does not have expansive ambitions, the Patriarchal Exarch of Africa, Metropolitan Leonid of Klin said in an interview with Interfax-Religion.
“We have said before and will reiterate it: the Russian Orthodox Church is not engaged in expansion. The Patriarch of Constantinople committed a canonical crime by entering into church communion with schismatics. A number of Orthodox Churches supported this unlawful decision and concelebrated with the people who do not have canonical, i.e. legal ordination, who are not clergy at all."
The creation of the Patriarchal Exarchate in Africa is aimed at ensuring Orthodox life for those who do not want to be associated with schism.
“We know that, according to the teaching of the Church," whoever is in communion with the schismatics becomes a schismatic.” We have defended and will continue to defend Orthodox Christians who refuse to associate themselves with schism,” said Metropolitan Leonid.
The UOJ wrote that the Primate of the Albanian Church considers the Exarchate of the ROC in Africa to be a response to the creation of the OCU.
The UOJ wrote that African clerics are being threatened with defrocking for moving to the Russian Orthodox Church.
Read also
Met. Meletiy consecrates house of worship for UOC community in Dankivtsi
Members of the persecuted UOC Intercession parish in Dankivtsi have converted a house into a place for communal prayer and worship services.
OCU eparchy sells church center site to developer for housing
The OCU’s Volyn Eparchy sold land intended for a spiritual center to a private developer planning to build townhouses and residential buildings.
SBU names UOC priest’s wife a suspect in Cherkasy region
The SBU accused Matushka Kateryna Prykotenko of “spreading enemy propaganda” through correspondence with parishioners.
UGCC cleric calls Russian Orthodox literature dangerous for clergy
While examining the causes of divisions within the UGCC, Yustyn Boiko concluded that Russian Orthodox literature had influenced Greek Catholic clergy.
UOC will play major role in achieving peace, says Vadym Novynskyi
UOC Protodeacon Vadym Novynskyi believes the Church will help bring about reconciliation within Ukrainian society after the war ends.
Catholic media outraged by forcible conscription of Uniate cleric
The Vatican’s Apostolic Nunciature has demanded the return of a forcibly mobilized Greek Catholic cleric.