Bp Victor: Synod's evaluation of Phanar actions will be a core for Amman-2

Bishop Victor (Kotsaba) of Baryshevka. Photo: news.church.ua

The Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church decided to give a theological assessment of the “new” ecclesiology of Phanar, which was eventuated by Constantinople’s recognition of some special rights among other Local Churches.

The Phanar leadership substantiates its claims to a dominant role in World Orthodoxy with Canon 28 of the IV Ecumenical Council.

In his telegram channel, the Head of the Representation of the UOC to European International Organizations, Bishop Victor (Kotsaba) of Baryshevka, wrote that he considers it very important that the UOC Synod made a decision to focus on the theological, canonical and historical interpretation of this Canon in the context of the church-wide teaching on conciliarity and understanding of primacy in the Orthodox Church.

According to Bishop Victor, in our country, supporters of Patriarch Bartholomew are trying to shift the emphasis from the pan-Orthodox significance of the "Ukrainian church issue" to "confrontation" between the Russian and Constantinople Churches.

Therefore, it would be a mistake to see only political motives in the unilateral granting of the Tomos to the OCU, the hierarch believes. “This is a canonical and ecclesiological crime, the reasons for which are much deeper than only geopolitical, temporary plans of those forces that stand on the principles of protecting the interests of the Phanar,” stressed the bishop of the UOC.

Bishop Victor recalled that Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem suggested that the “Ukrainian issue” be discussed at a new meeting of the Primates of Local Churches and expressed the hope that “the scientific and theological work carried out at the Kyiv Theological Academy regarding the actions of Constantinople in Ukraine will become a useful basis for the future of Amman-2 ".

According to the UOJ, at a meeting on May 12, 2021, the Holy Synod of the UOC assessed Phanar's violation of the principle of conciliarity of the Church.

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