RPTs ACCUSES CONSTANTINOPLE PATRIARCHARTE OF SERVING AMERICAN INTERESTS
Behind the actions of the patriarchate of Constantinople in Ukraine stands the U.S.A., declared the head of the Department for External Church Relations (OVTsS) of the Moscow patriarchate, Metropolitan of Volokolamsk Ilarion.
He explained that, judging by the actions of American politicians, Washington is interested in weakening both Russia and the Russian church.
"The haste with which the patriarchate of Constantinople is now undertaking its actions testifies that it is fulfilling an order from outside," Metropolitan of Volokolamsk Ilarion said in an interview with the Italian publication Il Messaggero, the text of which was published Friday on the website of the OVTsS.
The representative of the RPTs noted that there appeared in news media information about the financial interests of Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew, who may receive 25 million dollars for his actions.
"I do not know whether to believe this or not. I only know that in 1924, when the patriarchate of Constantinople granted autocephaly to the Polish church, a sum in pounds sterling was paid for this. If I am not mistaken, around 12,000—no small sum of money for that time," Metropolitan Ilarion noted. He emphasized that this information appears in the published correspondence between the Constantinople patriarchate and Polish authorities of that time.
Because of the decision of Constantinople to begin to grant autocephaly to the uncanonical Ukrainian church, the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church announced the severing of eucharistic fellowship with the patriarchate of Constantinople. The Synod of the RPTs called the decision canonically invalid and saw politics in the decision of Constantinople to annul the act of 1686 regarding the transfer of the Kiev metropolia to the jurisdiction of the Moscow patriarchate.
The break applies to all the canonical territory of the RPTs, including Ukraine and Belorussia. As declared in Moscow, the patriarchate of Constantinople has lost the right to call itself the coordinating center for the whole Orthodox church. (tr. by PDS, posted 19 October 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/.