LITHUANIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH DECLARES ITS WISH TO GET OUT FROM UNDER CONTROL OF MOSCOW PATRIARCHATE
Metropolitan of Vilnius and Lithuania Innokenty sent to Patriarch Kirill a request to permit the Lithuanian Orthodox Church to separate from the Russian Orthodox Church. Metropolitan Innokenty wants the status of independence for the Lithuanian Orthodox Church. This was reported by SNE news.
The Lithuanian Orthodox Church is now permitted to make decisions independently and to organize its own church life. However jurisdictionally it belongs to the Moscow patriarchate.
The Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church has promised to consider the request.
Metropolitan Innokenty calls his step historic. He thinks that independence would correspond to the status of the Lithuanian Orthodox Church, since its leadership already decides important matters independently.
In his statement, Innokenty noted: "Our church is not from Moscow or Russia, but from Lithuania. We do not have financial ties with the Moscow patriarchate and we maintain canonical and prayer relations with the Mother Church and we stay true to the traditional Russian Orthodox piety.
The Bishops' Council has the authority to grant the church independent status. This is called a "consent decree."
Previously, Metropolitan Innokenty dismissed several priests who suggested separating from the Moscow patriarchate and sent a request for affiliation with the Constantinople patriarchate.
Lithuanian priests criticized Russia's invasion of Ukraine and condemned the Russian Orthodox Church's support for the war. (tr. by PDS, posted 1 June 2022)
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