Patriarch Bartholomew accuses Russian Church of undermining Orthodox unity
Patriarchs Kirill and Bartholomew at the Phanar. Photo: romfea
Patriarch Bartholomew placed responsibility for the disruption of Orthodox unity on the Russian Orthodox Church during a meeting with Greek President Konstantinos Tasoulas at the presidential residence on May 7, 2026. The statement was reported by UOJ in Greece.
According to the patriarch, “ethnophyletism was revived after the collapse of the communist regime, where it had prevailed.”
“This ethnophyletism, condemned as a heresy in 1872 by the Great Synod convened at the Phanar, continues to divide Orthodoxy to this day,” the Constantinople primate said. “The curse of ethnophyletism has penetrated the body of the Orthodox Church and torments contemporary Orthodoxy. Unfortunately, our Slavic brothers, led by the Most Holy Church of Russia, are chiefly responsible for destroying pan-Orthodox unity.”
He also expressed confidence that “in the future we will continue to enjoy the unwavering support of the Greek state and every Greek government, so that we may freely carry out the universal mission of our Patriarchate.”
As previously reported by the UOJ, Patriarch Bartholomew had stated that 30 hierarchs of the UOC would join the OCU.
Read also
A regency school has opened enrollment at the Zymne Convent
The regency department at Zymne Monastery invites applicants for full-time three-year studies; documents are accepted until August 19.
In Kyiv, a UOC church was damaged due to shelling
As a result of the attack, windows were blown out and walls cracked in the UOC church.
UOC-KP Expressed Support for Odessa Metropolitan Agafangel
A representative of the Kyiv Patriarchate thanked the head of the Odessa diocese for his steadfastness and called for not sowing discord in inter-church relations.
Icon of St. Gabriel with relics brought from Georgia to Prague
At Prague’s Cathedral of Saints Cyril and Methodius, believers are venerating an icon of St. Gabriel Urgebadze with relics.
Dumenko tells British delegation about price of Ukraine’s “European choice”
The head of the OCU, Epifaniy Dumenko, met with a UK delegation in Kyiv.
UN calls for ban on surrogacy
A group of states at the UN has called for an international moratorium on surrogacy due to the risks of exploitation of women and children.