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Ukraine has begun preparation for the "local independent church" creation, TASS reports. The Constantinople Patriarchate Metropolitan Emmanuel of Gaul states this.
The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) is convinced that the tension will be caused by the autocephaly that the Constantinople Patriarchate intends to present to the Ukrainian schismatic structure. Consequently, it will turn into violence and aggression.
According to Vladimir Legoyda, chairman of the Synodal Department for Church’s Relations with Society and Mass Media, this situation will influence the Orthodox world in disastrous manner. In Ukraine the number of captures of the canonical Orthodox churches will increase, as the parishes of the canonical Ukrainian church will not join the Kyiv Patriarchate peacefully. Moreover, the pressure on them from both the nationalists and the authorities will aggravate.
First, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church should appeal for independence to Moscow. The ROC did not receive these appeals so the current situation is nothing more than a political project, mixed with personal ambitions, says Vladimir Legoyda. The Russian Orthodox Church does not welcome autocephaly, its representative stresses.
He adds that Constantinople's decision is not supported by the other Orthodox churches.
"For Orthodox world, for the whole Orthodox family, this will have serious, tragic consequences," says Vladimir Legoyda. But there is still a hope that "Constantinople still stops in a step from irretrievable."
As Russkiy Mir reported, according to representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Constantinople Patriarchate activity comes from the desire for historical revenge as well as the desire to become the world Orthodoxy center. Relations between the ROC and the Church of Constantinople will be terminated if autocephaly is received.
Russkiy Mir
