CONSTANTINOPLE METROPOLITAN: "RESOLUTION OF UKRAINIAN QUESTION IS PRIORITY"
Religiia v Ukraine, 11 September 2018
Metropolitan of Gaul Immanuel, a bishop who was present at the meeting of patriarchs Bartholomew and Kirill on the Phanar, commented on the intention of Constantinople to grant autocephaly to the church of Ukraine, Religiia v Ukraine reports, with a reference to Cerkvarium.org.
In an interview with the newspaper Ethnos tis Kiriakis on 9 September 2018, Metropolitan Immanuel recalls: "As is known, for the ecumenical patriarch, Kiev never ceased to be under his care and guardianship. Even after the right to ordain metropolitans of Kiev passed to the patriarch of Moscow after the famous patriarchal act of Dionysius IV in 1686, the ecumenical patriarch retained the right of commemoration as first named, before the patriarch of Moscow and the metropolitan of Kiev. Such an appeal in the divine liturgy confirmed every time the dependence of the Metropolitan of Kiev on the ecumenical patriarch, of whom he was considered to be his exarch. Even when communication was not always easy because of various historical difficulties and political circumstances, this did not mean that this question [Ukraine] ceased to occupy the ecumenical patriarch. It was for this reason that the question of Ukraine was mentioned in the patriarchal tomos concerning autocephaly of the church of Poland in 1924."
Speaking about the conversation of the patriarchs, Vladyka Immanuel said: "The ecumenical patriarch stated his decision regarding autocephaly in Ukraine, pointing out on the one hand its connection with the ecumenical patriarchate, and on the other hand that it is a process that presupposes the use of subtle skill—wisdom and reason, which distinguish the ecumenical see. I would like to recall that the Mother-Church is not casual in granting autocephaly and its desire is to find the best possible resolution of the long-standing church problem of autocephaly for the good of all Orthodox Ukrainian people."
Metropolitan Immanuel called the ecumenical patriarchate the "coordinating center of ecumenical Orthodoxy," which "facilitates the resolution of problems and does not violate relations among fraternal Orthodox churches," and "does not threaten or receive threats," and "is concerned for ending disputes and overcoming schisms, and in any case does not desire the appearance of new ones."
The hierarch emphasized that the process of granting autocephaly is an exclusive right of the ecumenical patriarch and has the aim of responsibility for setting things in order in accordance with ecclesiastical and legal procedure. "As regards the development and success of events in Ukraine, we will see this in the course of their development. However, the ecumenical patriarchate does not wish to relegate the resolution of the Ukrainian question to a secondary level, as His Holiness stated in the Bishops' Council of the Ecumenical Throne; this question is a priority. The ecumenical patriarchate wishes to find a resolution of this painful Ukrainian question and finally to heal the long-lasting schism. It is for this reason that it continues to move forward in gradual and measured steps, relying on a plan for resolving this question and granting autocephaly," Immanuel noted.
As regards threats on the part of the RPTs to sever relations with Constantinople in the event of the declaration of autocephaly in Ukraine, Metropolitan Immanuel responded: "As a person and as an Orthodox Christian, I prefer to remain an optimist and I believe that in the church everything will occur and be accomplished by the grace of the Holy Spirit. The church is not an international organism that acts in political or geopolitical interests. God leads and directs the primates of the holy Orthodox churches and, I am convinced, he will not abandon his church so that it will not fall into new difficulties." (tr. by PDS, posted 11 September 2018)
Editorial disclaimer: RRN does
not intend to certify the accuracy of information
presented in articles. RRN simply intends to certify the
accuracy of the English translation of the contents of the
articles as they appeared in news media of countries of
the former USSR.
If material is quoted, please give credit to the
publication from which it came. It is not necessary to credit
this Web page. If material is transmitted electronically, please
include reference to the URL,
http://www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/.