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Athos elders accused Patriarch Bartholomew of church split in Ukraine

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Athos elders accused Patriarch Bartholomew of church split in Ukraine


25.04.2019

Photo: pravmir.ru

Twelve elders of Mount Athos called the actions of Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew a disrespect of church canons and rude interference in the affairs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Their letter to the Holy Kinot was published by Synodal Department of Moscow Patriarchate on the interaction of the church with society and media. The elders ask Kinot to close access to Athos for Ukrainian schismatics, RIA Novosti reports. 

The authors of the letter supported Russian Orthodox Church, which ceased communication with Constantinople. They have no doubt that other Orthodox churches will follow the example of the ROC, as many of them have already stated. In the message, Bartholomew and his patriarchy are accused of unauthorized provision of autocephaly to the Ukrainian schismatics, intervening in the affairs of another's jurisdiction. The letter says that Patriarch of Constantinople does not respect and does not recognize the sacred canons and continues to violate them. This is expressed in his connections with heretics and schismatics. 

Athos elders mentioned the history of the church schism in Ukraine, which occurred after the republics of Soviet Union gained independence. The UOC received the status of broad autonomy from Moscow, but Metropolitan of Kiev Filaret created his own church, for which he was deprived of dignity and anathematized. 

The authors of the letter remind that Filaret and his entourage "were arbitrarily accepted into communication only by Patriarch Bartholomew". Meanwhile, according to the elders, the UOC of Moscow Patriarchate, headed by Metropolitan Onufry, remains the legitimate Ukrainian church. 

Russkiy Mir reported that most of the monasteries of Mount Athos and their ministers refused to participate in the enthronement ceremony of the Head of new Ukrainian church in January. 

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