ROC head: Attempts to impose special powers of Pat. Bartholomew are sinful
Patriarch Kirill and Patriarch Bartholomew. Photo: ROC Press Service
Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church rejected the doctrine of the primacy of the Constantinople Patriarch's authority in the Orthodox world. Speaking on April 22, 2026, at the Russian Foreign Ministry's Reception House, he stated that "any attempts to present one of our brothers as possessing special authority over the entire Orthodox oecumene are sinful from the standpoint of violating church laws."
"Unfortunately, a doctrine alien to Orthodoxy about special authoritative powers of my brother, the Constantinople Patriarch, continues to be imposed from outside," concluded the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Earlier, the UOJ wrote that, according to Metropolitan Mark of Berlin, a particular test for Orthodox unity was the imposition by the Constantinople Church of the status of first without equals, which has been actively promoted since the Council of Crete in 2016.
Read also
SESS begins inspection of the Pochaiv Lavra over ties to the ROC
Viktor Yelensky signed an order to conduct a study into the Pochaiv Lavra’s affiliation with the religious organization banned in Ukraine.
Authorities showed the President of Honduras and a US diplomat the destruction at the Lavra
The National Reserve noted that the participation of international partners in documenting the destruction is of great importance.
The first openly trans lawmaker in the US was sentenced for child molestation
In the US, a former Democratic Party lawmaker was sentenced to 33 years in prison for possessing thousands of explicit images of young children.
Cherkasy Metropolitan Theodosiy hospitalized
The ruling bishop of the Cherkasy Eparchy of the UOC was taken to hospital on an urgent referral from cardiologists.
New UOC church consecrated in Zaliznytsia village
The hierarch of the UOC celebrated the Divine Liturgy in a new church built by the parish community to replace the one seized by supporters of the OCU.
UOC KP accepted a cleric from Romania together with his parish
A cleric from Romania joined the Kyiv Patriarchate, declaring his desire to maintain 'unity' with Nikodim's structure.