Cypriot hierarch: Decision to recognize Dumenko is cunning and destructive
Metropolitan Isaiah of Tamassos believes that the Church of Cyprus is living through a schism caused by the decision of Archbishop Chrysostom to recognize Dumenko.
On October 29, 2020, Metropolitan Isaiah of Tamassos of the Cypriot Orthodox Church said that the decision of Archbishop Chrysostomos to recognize the head of the OCU Epiphany Dumenko is cunning and destructive, reports the resource “Romfea”.
According to the hierarch, “we are living through one of the worst institutional crises in the history of the Church. We are going through the schism caused by the action of His Beatitude."
Metropolitan Isaiah called the Archbishop's action cunning because “His Beatitude knows that we can no longer attend a meeting that will legitimize this decision if he does not revoke it first. He knows it, he knows the rules of the church, that's why it (the decision – Ed.) is cunning,” said Metropolitan Isaiah.
It is suspicious, he says, because the issue of recognition has been raised twice and the proposal for neutrality has been withdrawn. He added that they had assurances that the position of neutrality gives opportunities for mediation by the Church of Cyprus without taking part in the controversy of others.
"Now, the enemies of the Church label us Russophiles, Americanophiles, they have involved us in geopolitical interests, which do not concern us. The Gospel, its truth, concerns us. We are concerned with everyday people, with their problems. We are concerned with a thousand things that have to do with the values of life and that is what we need to pay attention to," stressed Metropolitan Isaiah.
At the same time, he considers the decision of Archbishop Chrysostomos "destructive" as it causes a schism and annuls the ancient institution of synodality. According to Metropolitan Isaiah of Tamassos, "The Synod cannot be convened under the regime of blackmail of an already carried out and imposed ecclesiastical illegal act."
As reported earlier, Archbishop Chrysostomos was reminded that in 2018 he promised with all his might to support the position of the ROC on the issue of the so-called autocephaly in Ukraine.
