Posted on 10/12/2018 5:01:39 PM PDT by marshmallow
Moscow, October 12, Interfax - A member of the Moscow Patriarchate Synodal Biblical-Theological Commission, Archpriest Andrey Novikov, has reacted to Constantinople's decisions on Ukraine by proposing a number of countermeasures.
"In view of the secession of the former Patriarchate of Constantinople from the Church, the Russian Orthodox Church [should] create dioceses and parishes on Turkish territory, including Istanbul," Father Andrey wrote on his Facebook page on Friday.
A pan-Orthodox council could be held in Moscow to depose Patriarch Bartholomew and members of his Synod, he wrote.
He also suggested severing eucharistic communion with the Patriarchate of Constantinople and "anathematizing the heresy of Eastern papism, including the pseudo-doctrine about the right of the Istanbul bishop to cancel and review anathemas and punishments of the [Orthodox] Church's branches," Father Andrey wrote.
The Constantinople Patriarchate should be declared to have "inflicted schism, entered into communion with anathema, and itself fallen under it," the Russian priest wrote.
At the Constantinople Synod meeting that ended in Istanbul on Thursday, the anathema imposed on the leader of the self-proclaimed Kiev Patriarchate, Filaret Denisenko, was removed, and his organization and another splinter group, the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, were recognized as canonical. Furthermore, Constantinople declared the restoration of its metropolis (jurisdiction) over Kiev and annulled an over-300-year-old tomos under which the metropolis belonged to Moscow.
The Russian Orthodox Church has already responded, saying that such actions were forcing it to sever its eucharistic communion with Constantinople.
Not a fan of Bart, but this is an over-reaction. At least for now. Let’s wait and see how the rest of the canonical local churches react to all of the EP’s trespassing.
The churches in Greece, Bulgaria, Ukraine remain steadfast.
Actually nevermind Greek hierarchy has voiced concern. Serbia likewise. Serbia worries that other Balkan countries like Moldova, Macedonia, and Montenegro may want follow Ukraine’s suit...
I am not aware of what grievances those churches have...but Ukraine’s are historically valid.
Such splits in the Orthodox world are nothing new and Moscow is not going to displace Constantinople’s “first among equals” Patriarch. A decree of autocephaly – once issued – cannot be rescinded or just forgotten. The independent Church of Ukraine is here to stay.
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